Last Survivors
by Dragontone
Summary: She has no memory of what happened to her. Shot and mistakenly left for dead, Carley is rescued by another group of survivors. Walking Dead / We're Alive Crossover.
1. Wounds

**Summary: **She has no memory of what happened to her. Shot and mistakenly left for dead, Carley is rescued by another group of survivors. Walking Dead/We're Alive Crossover.

This is a crossover fanfic with the "Walking Dead" game and "We're Alive" a podcast show. Those who are not familiar with We're Alive, it is more like survivors battling the monsters from 28 Days Later and Left 4 Dead than facing the undead in a typical zombie apocalypse movie.

Unfortunately, the characters from We're Alive are all situated in Los Angeles and I had to move them into Georgia to make this work.

**Chapter One: Wounds**

_"She... She... She's dead! Why did she shoot her?"_

_"Get in! We're leaving this crazy bitch."_

_"Carley..."_

_"Lee, she's gone. You heard Ben, you can't help her. Get in or do I have to drag you!"_

* * *

She woke as if coming out of a deep sleep to find herself face down in the dirt.

_Wh - What happened?_

Almost immediately she felt a painful burning sensation in her left cheek and eye. Her head started to throb as she tried to move her limbs.

_Shit. I feel like crap. What happened?_

Slowly she pushed herself up onto her knees and that's when she noticed something else was wrong. She couldn't see out of her left eye. It was night but the moon and stars were out and giving off enough light to see out of her right eye but something was wrong with her left.

Fighting down her panic, she reached up and touched the left side of her face. When she pulled her hand back she found it to be covered in blood. Almost shaking in fear now, she looked around to find herself on the side of a long stretch of a road, lined with trees on either side.

_How did I get here?_

Then she heard them, the slow shuffling of feet through piles of fallen leaves and the bone chilling constant low moaning. Like right out of a foreboding bad dream, three walkers emerged out from the shadows of the trees, heading straight towards her.

Carley rose to her feet to flee but she almost blacked out from the effort. The sudden movement caused new pain to surged through her head, making it feel like it was about to split open.

The walkers closed in on their new prey.

_No, get up and move!_

Through sheer will and much fear for her life, Carley started to run as best as she could but her aching head made it almost impossible and for some reason her body had so little strength to give. At most, all she could manage was a fast walk down the road. Carley fumbled inside her coat for her gun but came up empty. The situation was growing from bad to worse.

_I'm injured, most likely seriously, no weapon and being chased by walkers. Which one will do me in first?_

Looking behind, one of the three walkers was actually gaining on her. Carley tried to move faster but every step felt like someone was taking a jackhammer to her already throbbing head it was pure agony.

The fast walker behind her sounded so close now that she didn't dare look back. Exhaustion was overtaking her and Carley started to cry from her good eye. Maybe it would be better to stop running and let it end now than drag this out needlessly.

Then there was a light from behind and the sound of an engine. A vehicle was approaching and it filled Carley with unexpected hope to keep moving. The vehicle was loud as it sped up and swerved around them to pass on her left. Carley looked and her jaw dropped. It was a humvee! An honestly to goodness US military humvee.

Still trying to keep ahead of the pursuing walkers, Carley tried to wave and call to them but she could barely catch her breath to shout. Worse, probably in her condition and in the dark they might think she was a walker too. Even in the gloom of night, she could see faces inside the vehicle windows looking out but they were already passing to accelerate away.

Seeing her last ray of hope leaving, Carley finally screamed out with all she had left. "PLEASE HELP ME!"

This made her head ache even more almost causing her to stumble but she heard the humvee screeched to a halt about fifty feet ahead of her. The front side passenger door flew open and a man jumped out. It was too dark to make out his face but the outline of his body showed that he was dressed head to toe in full military combat gear. In his hands, he cradled an assault rifle. At that moment he was the most beautiful sight in the world to Carley.

He took a step towards her as he brought his weapon up. "If you are living, GET DOWN!" The man barked.

Carley almost nodded as she dropped to the hard pavement. An instant later, she heard three loud cracks from his discharging weapon. When her ears stopped ringing seconds later, the moaning of the walkers that had been dogging her from behind had been permanently silenced. Still on her hands and knees and gasping for breath, Carley couldn't stop shaking, unable to believe she was rescued. She then heard more voices coming from the vehicle.

"Watch the tree line!" A powerful and rough older voice commanded. "But shoot only if you have to!"

"I got it!" A much youthful male voice answered back.

Carley then heard people approaching. Lifting her head, she saw the soldier and next to him a woman in plain civilian clothing hurrying to her with flashlights. When they reached her, they shined their lights right into Carley's face, nearly blinding her. Her two would be rescuers actually paused in shock which scared Carley.

_How bad are my injuries?_

For a moment she feared they would turn around and abandon her.

"Please, don't leave me." Her plead was feeble and weak but she nearly at the end of her rope, her strength fading and she was terrified of dying out here alone.

The woman snapped out of it first and spoke with a gentle French accent. "We won't." She knelt down next to her, taking Carley's hand into hers before turning to the soldier. "Angel, help me."

However, the soldier still hesitated before kneeling down before Carley, studying her damaged face with his flashlight.

"Wait." He was more professional sounding and asked Carley direct. "Were you bitten?"

"I don't know…" Carley muttered, grasping the others woman's hand like it was a lifeline. She couldn't remember what happened to her, her headache was getting even worse. "I was with a group at this motel and we were attacked by bandits. We escaped but… everything is a blank after that. Help me… please… please…"

Angel nodded and looked to the French woman. "Riley, this looks like a messy gunshot wound and not a bite. Let's chance it."

_I was shot? How?! I need a mirror to see how bad it is._

From the humvee, the young voice called to them. "I would hurry you two! We're doubled park and I'm seeing a ton of movement in the trees!"

Riley and Angel each took an arm and helped Carley to their vehicle and quickly placed her in the back. All the way to the humvee, Carley was almost delirious with gratitude, thanking them over and over. She might have to kissed them if she had the strength to.

Inside, Carley collapsed into her seat in a mixture of relief and exhaustion as the French woman took her place next to her on her right. To Carley's left a large and older man with no hair and a grey beard, dressed in civilian cloths climbed in.

To the front, Angel hurried around into the passenger seat as the driver slide back behind the wheel pulling a pair of night vision goggles from his face. He turned back to them and he was a young black man, dressed in full combat gear like Angel.

"How is our..." He stopped when he looked at Carley and saw her face and nearly exclaimed. "Holy... Is she going to be all right?"

Carley could barely keep her good eye open now. _On second thought, I don't want that mirror._

"Just drive Saul." The French woman said urgently, as she reached in the back compartment for the first aid kit. "Burt, help me dress her wound."

The older man leaned in closer to help Riley tend to Carley's damaged face before saying in a gruff voice. "Radio ahead and warn them we have wounded coming in."

"I'm already on it." Angel said.

The humvee pulled away as dozens of walkers piled out onto the road from the forest. They mindlessly tried to follow the military vehicle as its taillights grew smaller into the night before disappearing around a bend in the road.

tbc


	2. New Dawn

**Chapter Two: New Dawn**

Sergeant Michael Cross stood inside the compound, alongside with Doctor Sherman Cottle. Their attention was focused on the main gate as they waited.

"How close are they now?" Doctor Cottle asked impatiently. He knew every minute counted. "Shouldn't you check with them again?"

"They were about two miles out the last time they radioed in and considering how Saul drives..." Michael started to say when they both heard the roaring engine of the approaching humvee. "Right about now."

The armed guard manning the tall metal gate quickly swung it open as the humvee with its glaring headlights peeled in and came to a stop. Michael and the doctor quickly hurried to the vehicle as Burt slowly half carried the injured woman out from the back right side passenger door. The entire left side of her face was now completely bandaged over.

"She's getting worse doc." Burt said. "She's been in and out of it all the way here."

"Did you get her blood type?" The doctor demanded.

"B positive, like me." Burt replied.

"Good and you won't mind being her first donor then," Doctor Cottle quickly moved to help him. "Get her inside."

"Are you going to be able to save her?" Riley said as they took her towards a rather large nearby building.

Doctor Cottle shrugged and said over his shoulder. "I never promise anything other than I will do my best."

After watching them disappear into the building, Michael turned to Saul, Angel and Riley. "Okay, what happened out there?"

"We were finally on our way back when we came across what we thought were four walkers chasing after something down the road, maybe some wild life." Saul said.

"Then as we went around them, one of them started screaming for help." Angel continued. "That's when Saul stopped and I jumped out and engaged the three walkers chasing her."

"Who is she," Michael questioned. "Did she tell you anything?"

"Her name is Carley," Riley answered. "And she told us that she and some other survivors were all sheltered in a motel they had fortified when it was attacked by bandits. But she can't remember anything after that."

"You believed her?" Michael asked.

"What?" Riley looked surprised by the question, her French accent became stronger, usually whenever she got excited or annoyed. "Of course! You didn't see her condition, her fear. She thought she was going to die out there."

"I know, I know," Michael held his hand up. "We just have to be careful with who we let in. For all we know she might be a bandit who betrayed her own group and they left her out there for the walkers as final punishment. That's the last type of person we need inside these walls."

"So, what is the plan now with our newest guest?" Saul said to Michael.

"Well, let's see if Doctor Cottle can do anything for her first before we get too far ahead of ourselves." Michael said and nodded to all three of them. "Regardless, you all did the right thing. Now, get some sleep because tomorrow is going to be another day."

She woke as if coming out of a deep sleep to find herself lying on a… a bed? She opened her eyes and immediately felt something was wrong. She couldn't see out of her left eye, something was wrapped around nearly half of her face and head. She reached up and found them to be bandages. Then the memories returned.

_I was alone, out on the road, injured, and being chased by walkers... and then being rescued._

Slowly, Carley took in her surroundings and saw that she was in a small bedroom. There was a large window with the curtains partially drawn with daylight shining in. A single dresser and a few chairs was the only other pieces of furniture here beside the bed. A couple of pictures of horses adorned the walls. The bed itself she was on was very comfortable and the blankets covering her were nice and warm. The only thing she had on was a simple white robe.

"I was rescued..." Carley muttered to herself. Then she touched her face again.

_What happened to me and why can't I remember how I got injured and left out there?_

With great effort she started to sit up to get out of bed when Carley felt something tied around her right ankle. Frowning, she threw off the blankets to find a leather strap tying her to the bed post. This confused Carley more than it worried her. If she was a prisoner she would be completely tied up. There was nothing stopping her from reaching down with her free hands and unfastened it. So why...

"It's just a needed precaution."

Carley quickly looked up to see a man in BDUs standing in the doorway. He looked in his late twenties, with good looks that made him perfect for any army recruiting poster. His eyes however looked tired and slightly stressed. With all that has happened over the last few months it would be perfectly understandable to Carley.

"I'm Sergeant Michael Cross. I hope it didn't alarm you."

"No," Carley shook her head. He sounded very polite and courteous which helped to relax her. "It just doesn't make..." Then she realized the reason for the leather strap securing her to the bed. "It's for if I should turn, right?"

Michael nodded. "We do that for all our badly sick and wounded, like yourself." He stepped towards her. "But you look well on your way to recovery, allow me."

She watched as Michael unbuckled the strap around her ankle, removing it. Freed, Carley gave her ankle a slight rub before pulling her legs closer to her body. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Slowly, Michael reached for a wooden chair in the corner of the room and moved it next to her bed before taking a seat. He leaned forward towards her, his elbows resting on his knees. "How are you feeling?"

Carley touched her bandaged face again. "Considering what happened, I'm okay I guess. How badly was I hurt?"

Michael paused for a moment to consider his reply but decided against sugar-coating it. "Doctor Cottle worked on you almost through the night. The bullet grazed your left cheek, just below the eye but it still went deep enough to do a lot of damage to flesh and bone. He's a good surgeon but he couldn't save your left eye and there will be scarring. He did what he could but our resources are limited."

He watched her as she sat silently in the middle of the bed, still touching the bandages to the wounded side of her face. Michael had seen this too often with fellow wounded soldiers from Iraq suffering with life changing injuries. Unfortunately, Michael had become a little hardened and with everything else that happened to the world he once knew, he has grown a little detached to everyone around him. It was all he could do to shield his own sanity but he finally managed to add a sympathetic. "I'm sorry."

"No," Carley shook her head. "I should be grateful. If it wasn't for your people, I wouldn't be here." She immediately changed the subject to something else. "So is this a military base or something?"

Michael gave a guarded answer. He still didn't know her. "Sort of."

"But you are military. Do you know what is going on? How this started? There were so many rumors."

"I don't know how it started. I don't think anyone has a clue. First it was news stories of people attacking each other in the streets and turning on the police when they showed. There were rumors of it being a terrorist gas attack which was driving people insane, to stories of escaping mental patients or some new drug on the street turning users cannibalistic. Then the reality of the situation hit me full on when I got the call that my unit was being mobilized and was driving back to Atlanta when I got caught in traffic. That's when I first saw one. He was bloodied, his cloths were torn to pieces and his face and eyes were blank of any emotion."

Carley listened quietly and almost whispered. "What happened?"

Michael took in a breath and released it quietly. Just remembering that day when everything went to shit in a hurry was still hard to believe. He served three tours in Iraq and he saw enough human carnage to last several life times but that was in a war zone and not in the backyard of your own country. Everything fell apart so damn quick after that first day. He locked eyes with Carley as he continued.

"Something inside told me not to move as he or it walked right pass my car and went after the car behind me that was honking its horn impatiently. It just reached in through an opened window and started attacking the driver. I just watched and saw blood spattering on the inside of the windshield. I couldn't believe what was happening and when I saw more approaching, I just hit the gas and drove away on the grassy medium."

"I was covering a news story when my van was attacked by a group of them. It was horrifying and so surreal like a mad dream."

"You're a reporter?" Michael asked.

"Yes and I would have never escaped if it wasn't for Doug who came to my rescue."

"You said you were with a group. Where are they?"

Carley shook her head. "I have no idea if they're no longer at the motel but Kenny has always been discussing plans of trying to reach Savannah for a boat."

Michael sat up straight in the chair. "Are you sure about that?"

"He was very determined in finding a boat." The look of concern on Michael's face quickly worried Carley. "Is something wrong?"

"Just trying to enter any of the major cities is suicide. They belong to the dead."

tbc


	3. Rooster

**Chapter Three: Rooster**

_They handed me this note book to keep a journal, a daily log of my experiences and told me that writing stuff down supposed act as some sort therapy or whatever. I'm not much in writing a diary but they insisted everyone has to keep one and to write, which is good because it finally means I can stay._

_Where should I start?_

_It has been four weeks since my rescue and my wounds have mostly healed. Their doctor, a Sherman Cottle is really good but he can be a little cranky at times. He fixed what he could but I still find it hard to look at my reflection in the mirror with all the bandages off now. Burt had an eye patch made up for me to cover my missing left eye and it even conceals some of the scars on my left cheek. Now, I look like a character from Kill Bill and I also think Burt gave me this eye patch so he can go 'Arrgh! Thar be Zombies!' whenever he sees me. Great!_

_I should be grateful to be alive in a world filled with death but I just want to find and kill the bastard who did this me. I want my face back!_

_Okay, enough with feeling sorry for myself._

_The setup they have here is amazing. Makes our motel look third world and its even better than the St. John's farm in security but minus the cannibals part. I was told they almost stumbled across this place by accident. Outside of the town of Amercus, they literally found this small mansion surrounded by eight foot walls. The owner, whoever he was must have had a thing for his privacy. The place has security cameras, motion sensors and even a panic room. Michael and the others have no idea what happened to the owner. Maybe he was off on vacation when everything started._

_The place has a separate garage four times the size of my modest little home where he kept his old collection of cars he had. Michael's group kept a few because their simpler engines might be easier to maintain than a modern one. Unfortunately, the rest were unfit to be of any use and went outside the walls to make room. Right now possibly a quarter of a million dollars worth of antique cars is rusting away as I write this. At least they kept the 69 Mustang. I want to drive it._

_The only thing better than having the walls to keep the walkers out is the good size in ground swimming pool for a source of water. They have already setup the mansions eave troughs to catch any falling rain water and funnel it into the pool._

_They have Pegs, who is a botanist who oversees the garden they have built here in the spacious backyard. They even managed to grow some vegetables before the cold season hit. Altogether, there are about 32 people here, including me but Michael said they have enough food stored to get us through the winter._

_I finally had a chance to demonstrate my shooting skills with a gun and I think I impressed Michael and the others a bit. Michael even asked if I would volunteer to ride shotgun in food and fuel patrols today. I was happy to accept just for the chance to show that I can carry my own weight around here._

_There are only four soldiers in this group which is Michael, Angel, Saul and Burt who is a former marine. Besides me, there are only a couple of civilians here who had ever used a firearm in their lives. They definitely want anyone with past experience in handling a gun when going outside the walls. There is also Riley who happens to be a pro archer. Her skills with a bow are invaluable when needing to take down walkers quietly._

_With everything I have here, I still wonder what happened to my old group. Where are they? Are they safe? Are they even alive? Why was I left for dead? Did they honestly think I was dead?_

_I need to know the answers to these questions. I have to try and convince Michael to help me find them but so far he has refused. Savannah is too far, too big and too much of a risk to search for them he told me. Still, I have to do something. To sit here safe while the others and Lee could be…_

There was a soft knock at the door. Carley looked up from the small table in her room where she was writing. She closed her notebook and turned to face the door.

"Come in."

The door opened and a slender blonde woman peeked in and gave her a warm smile. "Hi Carley."

"Hello Lizzy. Need something?"

Lizzy is another friend Carley quickly made here over the weeks and the blonde women even helped to look after Carley while she was recovering from her wounds. They got along so well that they decided to become roommates.

They have rules, like any roommates such as knocking before entering. The two agreed upon it after Carley accidentally walked in on Lizzy when Saul was paying her a visit. The young lovers were getting very romantic and they forgot to lock the door which gave Carley a startling surprise. All three promised to never mention that incident again.

"Michael is out there with Burt and Saul getting the humvee ready and I was wondering if you had forgotten the time."

Carley glanced at the battery powered clock on the wall and jumped up from her chair. She was so focused writing in her notebook that she lost track of time. "Shit! I'm almost late for my first patrol."

Lizzy watched as her roommate raced around grabbing her coat. "Relax. You still have five minutes."

"Impressions are everything Lizzy." Carley said as she quickly zipped up her coat. "And I need to be on Michael's good side to get his help."

"Still hoping to find your friends?"

"Yes. I can't stop thinking about them."

"I understand and if you need my support you have it."

Carley give the blonde a grateful smile. "Thanks Lizzy."

"Anytime."

Outside, Carley left the mansion front door and walked towards the garage where the humvee was parked just outside. By the time she got there, the men already had the vehicle ready to go.

Carley approached Michael as he and the others were doing a last minute weapon check. Both Michael and Saul had a sidearm and a M4 assault rifle with a foregrip and a red dot scope attachment. Burt only carried one weapon, a chrome Desert Eagle that his former wife used and he even named it after her, Shirley. The gun was basically a hand cannon. His wife must have been something to be able to fire such a powerful weapon.

"Sorry that I am late." Carley apologized.

"It's alright," Michael looked at her, not sounding mad or anything. "We decided to get an early start. Go to Burt, he has your weapon."

Relieved, she approached Burt and the large man grinned at her. "I have something I think you will like."

He handed her a belt and a holster with a pistol sheathed inside it, with three extra magazine clips. Taking them, Carley carefully pulled the gun from the holster and she simply marveled at it.

"It's a glock 17," Burt explained. "Holds 17 rounds, has less recoil, making it more accurate. You also have three extra magazines and between them and the one already in the gun, you have 68 rounds altogether."

Carley continued to admire the gun, although the grip was longer in length, the weight and feel of it was nice in her hands. "Thank you Burt. I promise to take good care of it."

The old marine just grunted with amusement. "You better, it's supposed to take care of you too."

Besides being a former marine, Burt also owned a gun store and when he joined up with Michael and the others, he brought a small arsenal of weapons with him. This included his personal and maybe slightly illegal collection of weapons.

Carley smiled as she reholstered the gun and started to fasten the belt around her slender waist. "Point taken."

"One last thing, you will need a nickname." Burt stated.

"A nickname, why?"

"We mainly only have CBs to transmit with and anyone could listen in, so we avoid using our real names or the names of places we're visiting." Burt explained.

This made perfect sense to Carley. "Sure. What's my?"

"We select our nicknames after the names of birds." Burt told her.

Listening in, Saul stepped closer to explain. "For example, I'm Penguin and Michael over there is Broken Wing."

Michael was still checking his gear but he looked up long enough to explain. "My arm was in a sling at the time, long story."

"Our base is called the Nest." Saul continued. "And old Burt here is Raven."

"Why I am not surprised," Carley commented with a chuckle to the old marine but now she was curious. "Okay, what is my nickname? Maybe Sparrow, White Dove or maybe Black Dove, it'll make me all mysterious sounding."

Burt couldn't stop grinning. "I was thinking Rooster."

Carley frowned. "What? Rooster is a male bird."

"I was thinking as in Rooster Cogburn. You know, John Wayne." Burt told her. "You do know who John Wayne is?"

"God yes, my father watched nothing but westerns when I was growing up," The former news reporter sighed. "Where did you think I learned how to shoot? Are you seriously going to call me Rooster?"

"Well, it does fit you," Burt countered. "Eye patch and you are damn good with a pistol."

Carley looked to Michael and Saul but the two almost held up their hands defensively.

"I was just happy to be named after a bird with some style." The black soldier commented.

"I could care less about mine," Michael shrugged at her. "Just be glad Vulture is already taken."

Carley threw up her hands. "All right, I'm Rooster then. It's just a dumb nickname so I'll be your one eyed cowgirl."

"That's the spirit!" Burt laughed.

"Come on, show's over," Michael finally interrupted. "We're burning daylight."

Burt got behind the wheel of the humvee as the rest of them boarded. Michael and Saul climbed in the back, leaving the front passenger seat for Carley.

Starting up the humvee, Burt drove up to the main gate as the guard opened it for them and quickly they passed on through and were on their way.

About five minutes down the road, Burt grabbed the mike for the radio and handed it to Carley. "Better contact the Nest and let them know our status."

Carley took the mike as Burt added. "Don't forget to use your nickname."

Sighing, Carley spoke into the radio. "This is… This is Rooster to Nest. Over."

To her surprise, Angel's voice replied and she could almost hear him fighting down his laughter. _"This is Toucan. I read you Rooster. How's the new nickname working for you? Over."_

Carley heard Saul and Burt laughing and even Michael cracked a smile. Rolling her good eye, all she could think of was.

_At least they're not calling me small._


	4. Mayday

**Chapter Four: Mayday**

Lying on her back, Carley nervously held the sharp metal rod in her hand.

_This feels like a dumb idea,_ she thought to herself. _On a scale from one to ten, this has to be an eight. A ten would be trying to high-five a walker._

Carefully, she placed the tip against the metal surface above her head. In her other hand she held a hammer. Slowly, she prepared to strike the end of the rod to drive it home when she stopped.

"Are you absolutely sure this is safe?" An anxious Carley asked Burt and Saul who were watching her.

She was under an abandoned SUV, ready to drain its gas tank by hammering a hole in it. The two men were kneeling down to watch and help talk her through it.

"Like I told you, the rod you are using is made of brass and it will not create a spark." Burt assured her. "Trust me, it's faster than siphoning it out with a rubber hose and this allows us to get every drop."

Carley still hesitated. "And you have done this before?"

"Hundreds of times with no problem," Burt said with all seriousness. "Except for that one incident when I lost my hair."

"Burt, you are very close to my feet," Carley warned with a deadly one eyed glare. "And I will not hesitate to kick you!"

"Geez! Relax Rooster!" He chuckled. "You have no sense of humor."

"Stop teasing her," Saul finally said. "It's safe Carley. Just give it one quick blow. Just make sure to not get any gas on your clothes."

With great reluctance, Carley placed the pointed tip of the rod against the gas tank over her head again. Then with a quick, short swing, she whacked the end with the hammer but it failed to pierce the metal surface.

"Just a little harder than that," Burt told her. "It won't bite."

"No, but it might burst into flames." Carley grumbled as she struck it again. The sharpened rod dented the metal of the tank even more but still didn't penetrate.

"Come on," Saul urged her. "Show us those muscles."

One last hit finally drove the brass rod through the bottom of the tank.

"You got it," Burt said. "Now quickly slide the container under it before pulling the rod free."

Carley followed his instructions and when she pulled the rod free, gasoline quickly started to empty into the container.

_That was easy and no flames or explosions._

Smiling, she crawled back out from underneath the SUV and stood up with a helping hand from Burt.

"How many more do we need?" She asked.

"If we can fill up five gas cans, we'll be good to go." Saul said.

Carley looked pass the SUV to the long line of abandoned cars, locked in a traffic jam that stretched on for miles. This place has become an easy source of canned goods and fuel for them to pick over. The only danger is to avoid being taken by surprise of any large packs of walkers wandering along. Just twenty feet away, Michael stood on the roof of their humvee on the lookout to avoid any such incidents.

"All of them were trying to flee to Atlanta." Carley said. "Trying to get somewhere safe."

"Like getting there would have been any better," Saul replied. "Before the official channels went dead, the last communication we received was that the city became infested. It sounded like hell on earth, literally one half of Atlanta was eating the other half. Finally, someone gave the order for the air force to bomb it."

This was first time Carley had heard of this and she was horrified. "Bomb Atlanta?"

Saul nodded his head. "Everyone was panicking by then, including our leaders. That's when we knew we just hit rock bottom and with communications cut off we were on our own. We tried our best to save anyone we could and simply get through this," Then he gestured towards the abandoned vehicles. "Come on, let's gather up what we can and get out of here."

About an hour later, they had managed to scrounge up the needed five cans of gasoline. Along with that, they collected several boxes of canned food and even some guns and ammo, almost filling the back of the humvee to the roof.

Carley was taking a turn on lookout duty as Michael loaded the last of the supplies in the back. She glanced down at him from the roof of the vehicle.

_Now is a good time as any._Carley thought.

"Michael, I know I asked this many times…" She started to say.

He stopped and looked up. Michael knew what she was going to ask and it was starting to annoy him but he had to credit Carley for her determination.

"And my answer is still no. I'm sorry but Savannah is too risky. I know they're your friends but I can't risk my people to help yours, not without more information as to what happened to them. You don't even remember what happened to yourself."

"And I understand but I have another proposal. Let's try Macon, its closer and I know the place to try to look for them."

"The motel?"

Carley nodded. "If something went wrong, they would have gone back there and it might be worth your time. We have our own supplies, including fuel and weapons if it's still there."

"It's still about 70 miles."

"Please."

Michael paused. "Okay, just give me a day to think about it."

"Thank you." Carley said just as Saul and Burt returned with the last of supplies they had gathered.

"Get a load of what I found," Saul reached into the box he was carrying and pulled out a tiny package. "Twinkies! And just not any Twinkies but the last Twinkies that anyone will enjoy in the whole universe."

"They must be how many months old and sitting in a hot car just baking," Carley winced in disgust. "And you want to share?"

"Oh, come on," Saul said. "Remember Zombieland with Woody Harrelson when his character delivers that line; _'There's a box of Twinkies in that grocery store. Not just any box of Twinkies, the last box of Twinkies that anyone will enjoy in the whole universe. Believe it or not, Twinkies have an expiration date' _… And you guys really have no clue as to what I am talking about."

"Zombieland?" Burt laughed. "Never heard of it but let me guess, did it have zombies in it?"

"I think I was in a place called Iraq at the time." Michael commented. "Didn't see it either."

"I hate Twinkies and junk food in general," Carley said before taking one last look around to make sure no walkers were about before hopping down from the roof. "And guess what, I also hate horror movies and now I'm living in one. How ironic is that?"

"I'm willing to bet at least you are no longer afraid of spiders." Burt mused aloud.

Carley just looked at him before grinning. "Yes and now it's replaced with punching holes in gas tanks."

Her joke immediately earned a good laugh from the old marine when suddenly from inside their humvee, their radio came to life as a panicked male voice was heard.

_"Mayday, mayday, mayday! This is Atlanta news copter, is anyone out there? Mayday, mayday, mayday!"_

"Holy shit!" Saul exclaimed, shocked to hear another human voice on the radio that wasn't from their group.

Michael quickly ran and opened the door to the vehicle and grabbed the radio mike and spoke calmly into it, taking the risk of using his rank and name.

"This is Sergeant Cross. We read you. Can you give us your location?"

For a moment there was silence then the voice returned in guarded relief. _"We're south of some town… We're checking the map… It's Woodbury. We're losing oil pressure fast! I have to put her down soon. Can you help us, Sergeant Cross?"_

"Woodbury," Saul thought, remembering it's location from memory. "That's about a 20 minute drive if none of the roads are blocked. We never explored that area before."

"We have to try and help them," Michael said before speaking into the radio mike again. "Atlanta copter, we read you and we're on our way. It's going to take us at least 20 minutes to reach you and it's vital you have something that can signal us. An emergency hand radio, some flares, or even smoke signals if you have to."

_"Understood and thank you Sergeant Cross."_

"And remember, you're probably going to have company when you're back on the ground. Just run and climb onto something high and solid to get out of their reach but try to stay close to the crash site."

_"You don't have to tell us twice… Shit! Engine is failing… Going down… We're coming down along Highway 85... About ten miles south of Woodbury… Trees! Everyone brace! Fuck… "_

Then the radio transmission went dead.

"Atlanta copter, are you still there?" Michael called but he received nothing but static. "Atlanta copter, do you read?"

"We will be wasting a lot of fuel searching for them." Burt said. "Surviving a helicopter crash is dicey enough without the threat of walkers waiting for you as you crawl your way out of the wreckage."

"I know." Michael considered for a moment. "But we're going to give them a chance and find them."

They loaded up the rest of the supplies and radioed the Nest about their unexpected detour north before setting off towards Woodbury. Along the way, twice they had to backtrack to find another route because of blocked roads . Burt wasn't happy about the amount of fuel they were using in trying to find the helicopter but Michael was behind the wheel and he wasn't planning to give up on them.

Saul was still checking the map when they finally got on Highway 85 which would take them directly to Woodbury. All the way it was more of the same, rows of abandoned cars and sheer desolation of entire communities. If there were other survivors, then they're in hiding. Nothing else was moving except for walkers. The ones on the road were easy to maneuver around them but a few times the narrow roads forced Michael to run them over.

By now, Burt was voicing his concerns about the real possibly of breaking down out there and being out of range with their CBs when in the front passenger seat, Carley spotted something to her right. A very faint trail of smoke rising amongst some trees

"I think I see something."

Just a half of a mile off Highway 85, almost concealed in a group of trees was the helicopter. Michael steered the humvee and went off the road to make their way to it. As they got closer, they could see the helicopter was a complete write off but the pilot and crew section looked mostly intact.

Michael stopped the humvee about sixty feet away and no walkers were in sight for the moment. With weapons ready, they exited the vehicle and slowly approached the wreck.

"Definitely an Atlanta news copter and the engine is still smoking," Carley observed. "This has to be it."

"No bodies," Saul commented as they drew closer. "In another time and world, that would be considered a good sign."

"Well, lets get this over with," Burt muttered before shouting out in every direction. "Hello! We're here to save your sorry asses! Come on out!"

Michael stared at the former marine saying in a very dry tone. "Thank you Burt."

"Just trying to move things along," Burt replied. "If they're alive they should be answering."

Saul moved around the copter and stared at the ground. "I have a lot of foot prints here!" The rest of them joined him as he inspected the direction of the tracks in the soft ground. "A set of tracks came from the north and probably took the survivors. If they went willingly, I can't say."

"So are we going after them?" Carley asked.

"I don't like this," Burt said. "We have no idea what we're getting ourselves into."

"We just might have found another group of survivors." Saul said. "It's worth investigating."

"They could be bandits for all we know." Burt replied. "I say we head back while we can."

Michael was still studying the tracks around the copter, debating whether to follow them or not when he noticed something else.

"There are another set of tracks over here," he pointed out to the others. "Three people came from the east and it looks like they followed the group that came from the north."

"Another group of survivors?" Carley said hopefully. It was comforting to know that they were not the last people on earth. "What should we do?"

At that very same moment, they were all being watched unknowingly from a hill top just a few hundred yards away. Three figures were huddled behind some bushes.

The leader of the small group lowered a pair of binoculars down from his face. "The Governor was right, that helicopter crash is pulling every living person in for miles. We have two heavily armed soldiers with two civilians in tow, some old guy and a woman with an eye patch and both of them are armed too."

"Fuck, anyone can put on a uniform and helmet and look the part. That's doesn't mean anything," A second man commented before pointing to the brunette woman next to them. "Give the binoculars to her. She claims to be military. She might spot something amiss if they're fakes."

The leader passed the binoculars to the brunette who then took them to study Michael's group.

"Their gear looks real, including their weapons, helmets and ballistic vests." She informed them. "Right down to the way they're wearing their equipment, military patches and even how they move'"

She then looked over the two civilians with them. She saw the huge older man was holding a Desert Eagle pistol and the woman was carrying a Glock but she was looking in the other direction, keeping her face from view. Giving up, the brunette turned her binoculars to inspect their ride.

"Their vehicle is not a civilian hummer. That's definitely a military up armored humvee." She told them. "We'll need explosives if we have to stop it."

The second man shook his head at the unwelcomed news. "Are you sure Lilly?"

"Positive." Lilly looked at them. "Just because I was an air force mechanic doesn't mean I was limited to just fixing planes."

"Well, that doesn't change anything." the leader said. "The Governor is interested in anyone else who comes to investigate the crash site and to determine if they're a threat. We have to try everything possible to get them to come back to Woodbury with us."

Lilly looked doubtful. "Terry, it might be wise if we let this group pass. If they are hostile, it'll be for the best if they don't know about us."

"We already had three people appearing at our doorstep not long ago and the Governor wants information on anyone else who shows up," Terry said firmly. "He won't be happy if we just let them go. We'll just approach them and act all friendly. No doubt they'll be curious about us too, then we can use that to lure them back with us. It's risky but it's not like one of them is going to shoot you just on the spot Lilly."


	5. Crossfire

**Chapter Five: Crossfire **

Burt wasn't having any of this and made it known to everyone else, especially Michael. "Trying to follow those tracks through the woods would mean abandoning the humvee. I hope that's not what you are suggesting?"

"No, I'm not," Michael replied calmly. "Saul and I will go and you and Carley will stay with the humvee. We'll keep in radio contact and just see where the tracks go."

"I agree with Burt on this one," Carley spoke up. Michael and Saul were too valuable to risk. "Following those tracks might be a bad idea and we shouldn't split up."

"We could try broadcasting on every channel and see if anyone answers," Saul suggested. "If any groups of survivors are around, they should have a radio going and listening for anyone over the airwaves."

Carley nodded in agreement. "Let's at least try that first."

It sounded like a good idea to Michael but it would be tipping their hand to any hostiles that they were here. This rescue mission for the helicopter crew just got way more complicated that he would like. Then he saw Burt tense up.

"We've got company." The former marine warned aloud, pointing past Michael's shoulder.

Michael turned and saw three people standing on a hill top just a little over two hundred yards away. One of them was holding a white cloth high up in the air. Michael reached for a side pouch on his vest and pulled out a small pair of binoculars. Bringing the field glasses to his eyes, he saw it was two men and a woman. The one standing in the middle holding the white cloth also had a hunting rifle slung across his shoulder.

"What do we have?" Saul asked.

"I think they want to talk." Michael said, putting his binoculars back in its pouch.

"And I suppose you're going over there to chat," Burt commented. "If that's the cause I'm going with you to watch your back."

Michael looked at the old marine. "I'm touched but it's a good idea." Then he turned to the rest of the group. "Saul, stay here with the humvee and cover us with your rifle."

"You got it," Saul said. "Just be careful."

Michael glanced at their newest member. "Carley, stick to Saul and watch our flanks, just in case they try to have someone sneak behind our position."

"I will and the same from me, be careful you two." She told them.

"I think they're trying to jinx us, Michael." Burt laughed slightly at everyone's concern. "Let's go see what they want."

Saul and Carley headed back to the humvee as Michael and Burt started walking towards the three newcomers. As they approached, the newcomers started moving towards Michael and Burt to meet them halfway.

Halfway there, Michael and Burt stepped over an old fallen tree, apparently knocked over by strong winds years before, ripping the roots right out of the ground.

"Would I be overdoing it by saying I have a bad feeling about this?" Burt said under his breath as they drew closer to the newcomers.

"I get that feeling too Burt, but it's worth taking the risk if we make friendly contact with other survivors," Michael replied softly. "We could setup some trade for items like machine parts or food. Let's hear what they have to say but be ready."

"Don't have to tell me twice." The old former marine muttered quietly as they finally came face to face with the three new arrivals, stopping within several feet of each other.

There was a brief moment of silence as the two sides stared at one another. Michael took a good look at them. The one holding the white cloth and carrying the rifle was still in the middle of the group and stood average in height and appeared to be in his late thirties. The man relaxed a little, lowering the cloth to smile. To his left was a slightly younger man, about the same height and was smiling nervously. To the right was a shorter brunette woman, maybe in her mid twenties and was watching Michael and Burt with a guarded emotionless expression. She would make a good poker player.

The rifle was the only weapon Michael could see but he was sure they carried other weapons concealed under their coats.

Burt had Shirley, his Desert Eagle gun holstered but Michael held his M4 rifle close to his chest with the barrel pointed down and the safety on.

The one in the middle spoke first. His voice sounded relaxed. "I see you came to inspect the helicopter crash. We found the pilot and the crew alive and in good shape and they were taken back to Woodbury."

Michael nodded and watched their body language closely as he spoke to them. "We picked up their distress call and we came to help. We're happy that they're safe."

"You could meet them if you like." The man replied. "My name is Terry and this Ron and Lilly."

The soldier and former marine shared a quick glance of surprise. Terry saw their reaction. "Is something wrong?"

"No," Michael replied now looking at the woman. "Your last name wouldn't happened be Caul would it?"

Lilly looked surprised. "How do you know my last name?"

"I think we have a friend of yours, a girl by the name of Carley" Burt said. "We found her four weeks ago, shot and left for dead on the road. She has been trying to find you and the rest of your group ever since. I bet she'll be glad to see you."

Terry and Ron looked surprised to this unexpected turn of events but this could work to their benefit in gaining their trust. However, for Lilly, it felt like the earth was about to open up and swallow her.  
_  
Carley is alive?_ She thought in disbelief. _This can't be._

Lilly finally found her voice. "This has to be a mistake."

"This is no mistake, I can prove it." Michael said reaching for his shoulder mike and radioed the people at the humvee. "Penguin, can you send up Rooster. Tell her we have Lilly with us and we confirmed it. Over."

A few seconds later, Saul happily answered back. _"She's on her way. This is good news Broken Wing. Over."  
_  
Terry smirked. "Nicknames?"

"Yeah," Michael nodded. "For security against prying ears but it does work."

Lilly wasn't amused like Terry or Ron. She was trying to keep calm as she watched from about 100 yards, a small lithe figure moved from Michael's humvee and started hurrying towards them.

_This has to be mistake._ Lilly thought. _If this was really Carley she would have told them what happened and they would have at least pulled their weapon on us already._

"Is something wrong?" Burt said to Lilly. "You are suddenly looking pale."

"I'm fine." Lilly answered, her eyes drifting towards the small figure still approaching them.

Burt followed Lilly's glaze and looked towards Carley as the former reporter came closer. The old marine faced the brunette again, his suspicion growing. "Is there something we should know before she gets here?"

Terry didn't like this at all. _What was going on with Lilly and this Carley woman?_

"Wait a minute, I have no idea what is going on but I assure you…" He started to say.

"Shut up," Burt growled. "I'm not talking to you. I'm talking to Lilly here. Got something to get off you chest?"

"Just a damn minute!" Ron said loudly. "What right do you have to interrog…"

He was instantly silenced by the tiny but ominous click of Michael flipping his M4 selective rate of fire lever, switching it from safety to single shot. Michael never moved his weapon, keeping the barrel aimed at the ground but the point was made clear.

_We're talking now so STFU! _

The army Sergeant spoke evenly but forcefully to all three individuals in front of him.

"Carley lost part of her short term memory from the trauma she suffered. She remembers the bandit raid on the motel and the escape on the RV but what happened between that and when she woke up on that stretch of road is a troubling mystery for her and for us now."

Michael locked his eyes with Lilly and the air force mechanic felt her mouth go dry as he asked with an eerie calm voice. "Care to fill in the blanks? I'm betting that you know what happened, so tell us. Who shot her and why?"

Lilly looked at him and to Carley who was very close now, hurrying as fast as she could. Lilly could now see her clearly, the eye patch she was wearing on the left side of her face, the injury she had inflicted on her. She thought about that night, the intense uncontrollable anger she felt because someone inside their group betrayed them and from losing everything to the bandit attack. Then in a fit of rage, she lashed out in violence, using a gun over mere words spoken harshly to her. Lilly tried not to think about that night and what she did but her actions were finally catching up with her again.

Lilly closed her eyes and whispered. "I did it."

"What?" Burt said.

"I did it," Lilly repeated, opening her eyes. "I shot her."

This was earth shattering news to Terry and Ron as well. Terry just stared in horror, while Ron just gasped out. _"Oh shit…"_

Michael was stunned. "You did that to her?"

"Fuck me…" Burt muttered to himself before his face reddened with rage. "For all the - Why?!"

It was almost amazing to Lilly that she didn't care anymore or what they would do. It was out and she was relieved. "It doesn't matter. I did it and I can't take it back."

Behind them, they could hear Carley shouting out almost joyfully. "Lilly!"

"We're leaving right now." Michael said to Burt before shouting out to the woman approaching them from behind, never talking his eyes off the three people in front of him. "Don't come any closer Carley!"

The young woman stopped within thirty feet of them, confused. The tone in his voice worried her and she put her hand on the holster to her weapon. "What's wrong Michael?"

"Just stay there!" Michael yelled still keeping his eyes forward. Then under his breath he spoke to Lilly. "She will kill you if she finds out and I'm not really in the mood to stop her."

Burt just glared furiously at her. "You're not alone in that sentiment, Michael."

Seeing Michael and Burt's attention was on Lilly and concern for his own safety, Ron tried to reach for his gun that was concealed in his waist belt behind his back. The instant he tried, Burt's eagle eyes caught his movement and the old marine pulled out his Desert Eagle and leveled it in his direction within a heart beat.

"Don't even try it!" Burt snarled at Ron. "Shirley here can be very unforgiving!"

Michael brought up his M4, his finger on the trigger. "We're leaving. Don't try to stop us."

"No, please try to stop us!" Burt taunted them.

"Burt…" Michael warned. He didn't want any bloodshed if they could avoid it and possibly cause serious problems between them and this Woodbury in the future.

Suddenly, Carley was beside them with her pistol ready. "What is going on?"

"We're going." Michael told her. "Get back to the humvee. We'll cover you."

Carley couldn't understand what was happening then she looked to Lilly. "What about her? We just found Lilly, we can't leave."

"Oh, yes we can." Burt said with a sneer. "She might try to finish what she started."

Carley became even more confused. "What?"

"Carley," Michael almost begged, trying to keep his eyes on the three Woodbury people in front of him. "You have to trust me, go back to the humvee right now. Burt, shut up!"

"No, I have questions!" Carley said before looking to Lilly. "What is going on? Where is Lee and the others? Talk to me Lilly!"

"Carley!" Michael shouted, raising his voice for the first time. "Leave now!"

"Will someone please TALK TO ME?!" Carley yelled.

"They have gone to Savannah." Lilly finally spoke. "Or at least tried to, I can't say if they made it."

Carley calmed down a bit as she looked back to Lilly. "Did something happen? Is that why you're here?"

"Yes… I was left behind." The brunette told her.

The former reported blinked in surprise. "Why?" Carley was suddenly becoming afraid of the answer but she had to know.

"Carley," Michael said, trying to get her attention. "We need to get out of here. Let's go."

"Fuck this," Burt had enough. "She has every right to know what this bitch did to her."

"Know what? What happened?" Carley demanded once more to Lilly. "Tell me what happened? TELL ME!"

Lilly took in what might be her last breath and looked Carley right into her one remaining eye. "Lee and the others left me behind because I shot you."

For a moment, Carley didn't react. She just stood there horrified as her mind struggled to process the words ringing in her ears. Then her expression became as hard as granite when she suddenly moved, stepping towards Lilly. Her intent was clear as she raised her glock, aiming it at Lilly's head.

"Carley!" Michael shouted.

***

Standing next to the humvee, Saul didn't like this. At first everything seemed okay and Carley was overjoyed when Michael radioed them, telling them they had found someone from her old group.

However, as soon as Carley got up there, Michael and Burt drew their weapons. He watched through the scope of his rifle and Carley even looked rather upset now and her anger seemed directed at this Lilly person.

Despite her injuries, Carley was still pretty and even her eye-patch made her look a bit of a badass but Saul had never seen her really mad before and it was definitely not a pretty sight. What happened to set her off?

As he watched, a gentle breeze brought a foul stench in the air. The type of stomach turning odor that only one thing can bring. Cautiously, Saul looked over his shoulder and he saw several walkers slowly moving through the trees about hundred feet away. Thankfully, he was up wind to them so the walkers hadn't picked up his scent yet. Unfortunately, they were passing very close and it was only a matter of time before one looked his way and spotted fresh meat.

Carefully and with no sudden movement, he reached for his radio to warn Michael when he heard a single gunshot. Saul jerked around and looked towards Michael and the other's position.

Even from this distance, his naked eyes could make out what had happened. "No!"

Then with an icy chill, Saul remembered what was behind him, he turned and saw several walkers now looking towards the sound of the gunshot and him. They starting moving towards the lone soldier and behind them came dozens of more walkers out of the trees. There could be an entire herd of them in the woods, maybe in the hundreds.

This was bad and he was the guy in the middle.

"No, not now!" Saul cursed. He raised his rifle, flipping the safety off and started shooting.


	6. Confessions

**Chapter Six: Confessions**

"Why?"

Lilly had her eyes closed when she heard Carley's sudden question. When the former reporter walked up to her to place her gun to her forehead, Lilly expected her life to end right there. She couldn't fight, not with Carley's two well armed companions standing just a few feet away.

Slowly, Lilly opened her eyes to find the barrel of Carley's glock still hovering inches from her face. The woman holding the gun on her was trembling with rage. Lilly knew at best, she was on borrowed time.

"Why did you do that to me?" Carley demanded once more.

"I had two likely suspects that could have been giving our supplies to the bandits. Ben and you," Lilly said in a shaky voice. Expecting the gun pointed at her to be fired at any second.

"And that's why you shot me?" Carley hissed. "I didn't betray you or the group!"

Lilly flinched as the gun moved a bit closer to her forehead. "Lee spoke out in your defense… and I believed him."

"So what happened? Why did you shoot me!"

Lilly debated what to say but decided to put everything out on the table and not go out as a crying coward, even if Carley kills her for it.

"You wouldn't shut up."

"What?"

"After eliminating you, it had to be Ben and I was grilling him but you kept trying to defend him. Why couldn't you just shut up?"

Carley gave out a little half laugh, using her free left hand to point to the remains of the left side of her face. "So _bitch_, please tell me what I said to you that earned me a missing eye?"

"My father practically used to say the same thing to me while growing up and I hated it but he did it to toughen me," Lilly said. "_You're just a scared little girl. Get the fuck over it._ When you said it and between what Kenny did to him in that meat locker… I lost it."

"You lost it?! I think I might lose it myself right now." Carley slowly tightened her finger on the trigger of her gun. "Any last words?"

Lilly gave a short fatalistically laugh. "What do you want me to say? I'm sorry? It's nearly empty and meaningless to you as our world has become to us. I had nothing left after I lost my dad."

"Nothing left? I was in the same boat that night with you in that RV. My entire family is gone! Don't try to make me feel sorry for you!"

"Don't give me that, you had Lee." Lilly said. "I saw the way you two looked at each other."

Carley hesitated. Another question came to mind that she needed to be answered. One that had be plaguing her every night. "I was still alive, why was I left behind with you."

"Ben checked you and declared that you were dead. Obviously he's a bigger idiot than we thought."

"What about Lee? Where was he?"

"He was busy disarming me," Lilly told her, remembering that night. "The look in his eyes, he wanted to kill me for what I did to you but I guess he liked Kenny's suggestion to just leave me behind. He would have checked you himself but the gunshot attracted some walkers and Kenny had to physically pull him into the RV. You were lucky the walkers were focused on me and not on you."

"And the others, are they safe?"

"Clementine and the rest of them are safe as far as I can tell when they left me," Lilly paused and looked very tired now. "So, are you going to shot me now and or simply ask more questions?"

"Carley," Michael finally spoke up. She almost forgot that they still had an audience. "She's not worth it."

"Except I have a nice little reminder whenever I look into a mirror thanks to her." Carley replied, her anger boiling over again. "Do you know what it is like to hate the very sight of your own reflection?"

Michael's answer was sincere. "Yes I do and you will hate yourself even more if you do this."

"Then tell me how to forgive something like this?" Carley said through clenched teeth. "She scarred me for life!"

"I never said it would be easy," Michael said. "But you have some of your answers about Lee and the others. We can go home and figure this out. You're not alone."

Carley lowered her weapon slightly as she glanced from the soldier to the old marine.

"Don't look at me." Burt said softly as he could with his gruff voice. "I would just shot her myself but you're not me. Listen, just forget about me, forget about Michael, just do what you feel is right."

_What is right or wrong anymore? _Carley thought darkly. _There are no cops left to arrest her, let alone thinking of trying her in court. It was so easy to talk to Lee about doing the right thing, I even convinced him to tell people who were the closest to him about his past. It's what I believed in but when something horrible happens to you then suddenly all of it goes out the window as you seek your pound of flesh in the name of revenge. My only two options are to kill Lilly or let her go. It's easy to kill when defending yourself or others but to shoot someone who is defenceless. However, this is what that bitch did to me! I hate this…_

Slowly, Carley lowered her gun and Lilly was literally holding her breath, unsure what was going to happen next.

"I want you to listen to me Lilly," Carley said, her voice dripping with venom. "If I ever see you again, so help me I will…"

She was interrupted by a gunshot.

Carley flinched but she wasn't hit. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw and heard Michael's ballistic vest take the hit. Burt took his eyes off of the Woodbury people for a second as he saw Michael stagger slightly from the force of the impact.

Using that distraction, Ron went for his gun. Reaching behind, he pulled out a 357 magnum revolver from his waistband and aimed it at Burt. Before he could fire, Ron was hit multiple times in the chest and once in the head from Carley, as she unloaded her own weapon into him.

Terry was shouting, unable to stop Ron from getting himself killed. Terry didn't want this mess to happen and now they're going to die because the fool who was covering them thought it was a good idea to shot the soldier dressed in body armor first. Suddenly, he was tackled by Lilly, as she pushed him to the ground, just as Michael shook off the hit and stood up straight and returned fire towards the hill top.

"Get behind me!" Michael yelled as he fired his rifle at the hill, trying to find, or at least, keep their attacker from sniping at them again.

"Stay down!" Carley shouted at Lilly and Terry. "Don't fucking look at us!"

"Look up and you're dead!" Burt added. The two on the ground instantly obeyed.

From the humvee, they heard Saul open up, firing several rounds over their heads at the same hilltop. There was a pause in firing when they heard his slightly stressed voice over Michael's radio.

_"I got a lot walkers coming at me from behind my position! Get back here now before I run out of bullets because I refuse to be on their menu!"_

"Get back to the humvee!" Michael ordered. "I'll cover you!"

Carley didn't argue this time as she and Burt started retreating back to the humvee, firing several parting shots at the hilltop, adding their fire to Michael's and Saul's.

Dashing back to their vehicle, Carley ran as fast as she could. Even though Burt was twice her age, the old but still strong marine was out pacing her. Then she heard Michael behind her and she glanced over her shoulder, expecting the army sergeant to be passing her but he was right on her tail, almost shadowing her. Michael was in excellent shape and even with all his gear on, he could outrun her fairly easily but he was remaining right behind her. Carley then realized he was shielding her. He had the helmet and protective vest on and he was using his body to protect her from any possible sniper fire.

They came to the old fallen tree and Burt jumped over it first. Then it was Carley's turn and she leapt over it but a second later, she heard the shot from behind and a cry of pain from Michael. She stopped to look back to see Michael on the ground in a sprawling heap just pass the log. He must have been hit when he had just jumped over it. She feared that he was dead but then she saw him moving and blood on the back of his right thigh soaking his uniform.

"Michael!" Carley ran back to him even as the sniper fired again and missed, hitting the ground beside her. Then she heard Saul's rifle returning fire.

Holstering her gun, she dropped down to Michael's side. Grasping his protective vest with both hands and all her might, Carley started pulling him back towards the log for cover.

It was then Michael started coming back to his senses from his hard face plant to the ground. He realized he was being dragged back to the log and saw who was helping him. "What are you doing Carley? Run!"

"Shut up and help me move you!" Carley shouted back.

Using his arms and good leg, Michael helped Carley move him back to fallen tree. She collapsed down to Michael's right as the sniper opened fire again, striking the log.

Michael checked his rifle before looking at Carley. "You should have kept on running." He told her .

"You're welcomed," She replied sarcastically. "Can you imagine the hell that Pegs would give me if anything happened to you?"

Michael shook his head with a slight smile and pointed to Carley. "Watch our right and the tree line. Our left is okay, it's clear straight to the highway and Saul has an easy line of sight over that area."

Nodding, and still keeping low, Carley drew her gun again and aimed it to protect their right flank. "How's your leg?" She asked.

"Hurts but nothing is broken." Michael grunted as he tested his leg. "Bleeding is not bad. Nothing vital was hit."

"Want me to check it?" She offered.

"No, keep your eyes forward. We'll just wait for Saul and Burt. They will come for us in the humvee." Michael said as he watched Burt reach their vehicle and disappeared behind it before hearing an eruption of gunfire.

_That didn't sound too promising._ Carley thought.

"Uh, are you sure you don't what me to slap a tourniquet on it if we have a longer than expected wait?" She offered again.

***

Puffing, Burt finally reached the humvee and as he came around to the other side, he found a slaughter. Dozens of walkers were littered about twenty feet from their vehicle. Saul was alternating between giving them covering fire against the sniper on the hill before being forced to shoot the walkers that were creeping up behind him. He was basically fighting a battle on two fronts, protecting them and protecting himself.

The old marine walked towards the young black soldier while firing Shirley at three of the closest walkers causing their heads to literally explode from the impact of the powerful rounds fired from his Desert Eagle gun.

"Michael got hit!" Saul yelled to him as he also turned to fire on even more walkers continuing to pour from the forest.

"I know!" Burt shouted back as he shot his gun again at the approaching dead, his temper threatening to get the better of him. "I knew this rescue would be a waste of fuel, ammo and maybe our lives!" He then gestured his head to the humvee. "Get in and pop the roof hatch! I'm driving and while you're at it, get the SAW out of the back!"

_They just fucked with the wrong people!_ Burt thought to himself and he was going to hit that point home to these Woodbury people.

***

"I don't see them."

"What?" Carley looked back at Michael in alarm to see him peeking over the log with his rifle, trying to locate the sniper. She then glanced to the humvee which hadn't moved yet.

"I don't see them," Michael repeated before ducking back down. "Lilly and Terry must have crawled out of sight."

Carley looked at him and his bleeding leg for a moment. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"I endangered everyone by threatening to kill Lilly."

Michael managed a chuckle. "Well, she did pull a Dick Cheney on you but in the end you kept control. A lot better than some soldiers I served with during combat." He paused and looked at her. "When we get out of here, I'll see if I can get some volunteers to go with you to Macon and check out that motel and see if your friends are there. It sounds like a longshot after what Lilly told us but we can make sure."

Carley couldn't help but smile. "Thank you Michael."

"Good," he pointed to Carley's right. "Now, keeping checking that tree line, until we're out of here."

"You got it boss."

A moment later, she heard Michael saying in relief. "The humvee is moving. They're coming for us."

Carley glanced over and the humvee was indeed on the move and heading for them. Then she finally saw the massive horde of walkers slowly trying to chase after the vehicle.

Quietly, she started praying for their transportation. _Please don't breakdown. Please don't breakdown. Please don't breakdown. Please don't breakdown._

***

Standing with the top hatch opened, Saul rested the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW) on it's bipod on the roof of the humvee before levelling it down range at the hill. With a simple pull of the trigger he unleashed a hail of 5.56 rounds. He couldn't see the sniper but machine gun fire is always an effective deterrent for any would be living attacker. Accuracy by volume hardly ever fails.

Burt accelerated slightly as he swerved around the log placing the armoured vehicle between Michael & Carley and the hill where the sniper was firing from.

"Get in!" Saul yelled to them as he fired another long burst from the M249 as they came to a complete stop next to them.

Carley grabbed Michael by the arm and helped to pull him to his feet and together they stood up.

***

It took a bit of effort and luck but Terry managed to circle quickly around to flank them. Their leader Michael was with that Carley woman and both were seeking shelter behind that fallen tree. He was back in far enough in the woods on their right that they couldn't see him. In fact, their leader appeared to be wounded.

Both he and Lilly managed to crawl their way to the trees to get out of the crossfire. However, as soon as they got to cover, Lilly started to insist that they head back to Woodbury but he wasn't going runaway like a coward. That Carley woman killed Ron and he was going to make her pay.

As Terry readied his rifle, it was then the humvee pulled up and one of them was on top firing a machine gun!

Terry ducked down further but they still couldn't see him. As he watched, Carley helped Michael to his feet to get him to the vehicle. It was perfect. He couldn't do much to the soldiers with their protective helmets and vests, but she was between him and their leader, completely exposed.

"Goodnight darling." He whispered. _This is for Ron._

He careful raised his rifle and sighted her in. He was an expert hunter and had made shots from this distance many times before. He rested the crosshairs on her head before he held his breath and squeezed the trigger.

A hand slammed down on the barrel of his rifle as he fired, striking the ground instead. Startled, he looked up to see Lilly was standing over him.

"NO!" She said. "Just let them go!"

Angry, he rose up to his knees. "What the fuck…" He started to demand.

***

Saul heard a rifle shot to his right. He swung the machine gun around and immediately raked the nearby tree line with a shower of lead. He kept on shooting, giving covering fire as Carley helped Michael into the back of the humvee before jumping into the front passenger seat herself.

As the doors to the humvee closed, Burt floored the vehicle and they were off racing back to Highway 85 and home leaving Woodbury and the hungry mass of walkers far behind them.

***

Lilly heard the roaring engine of the humvee departing which intermingled with the sounds of hundreds of moaning walkers nearby. She was amazed to be alive after what felt like the entire forest around her exploded with machine gun fire.

She tried to get up but there was weight across her chest holding her down, it was Terry's body. Carefully, Lilly pushed him off and checked him. He was just inches from her but he was stuck with several fatal rounds fired from that machine gun and she was barely scratched.

She looked upon his body with sadness. Like her, he just didn't know when to let go. He wanted to avenge Ron but killing Carley could have ignited a war between Carley's well armed friends and theirs. Also, Carley decided to spare her life, for whatever her reason. Lilly owed her for that and for what she did to her before. She just wished Terry wasn't the one that had to pay the price. He was kind to her and looked after her when she first joined Woodbury. Now she had some explaining to do with the Governor about the death of two of their people. She was starting to feel cursed.

Wasting little time, she gathered up Terry's rifle and fired one mercy round for into him to prevent from turning. Now moving quickly, she hurried back to the top of the hill. Thankfully the departing humvee was drawing most of the walkers away from her by now.

She raced to the top of the hill, praying he was there because it will be a long dangerous walk back to Woodbury by herself. Once there, she looked and spotted the truck parked along the trail and standing next to it, holding his rifle was Bruce.

Lilly waved in relief and hurried to him, thankful he stuck around. Bruce himself was also relieved as she approached him. He was young and unfortunately, reminded Lilly a little too much of Ben from her old group but at least she could tolerate him.

"I thought you were all dead but I decided to wait five minutes." Bruce said. "I saw what happened to Ron… Did Terry make it?"

Lilly shook her head and Bruce looked depressed and started blaming himself. "When they drew their weapons on you I didn't know what to do. I thought that one woman was about to kill you. When I saw the chance, I took the shot and kept shooting until I ran out of ammo. What happened?"

"They…" Lilly thought for a moment. "They were interrogating us, trying to learn more about Woodbury. The number of people we have, weapons, food stores. You did the right thing."

She wanted to punch Bruce for shooting in the first place. If he hadn't, both sides could have walked away and never bothered each other again. Regardless, Lilly had to lie or the Governor would punish her. He seemed to be a good leader who can make the hard calls. Unfortunately, he can be very unforgiving to utter incompetence and especially to betrayal. Lilly was new and she can't risk being thrown out or worst. However, Bruce is originally from Woodbury and all she had to do was matchup her story with what he saw.

Bruce looked up saw walkers cresting the hill that Lilly had just came over. They were following her. "We best clear out and get home. Did you get a name of who they were?"

"No," Lilly shook her head as they hurried to the truck. "They didn't give a name or where they are from."

Lilly couldn't believe how lost she was and she needed purpose, a reason to live. Maybe she could rebuild her life in Woodbury as she hoped. The people there seemed to have faith in this Governor and perhaps he can lead them all out of this darkness and horror and not into another nightmare.

She can only hope.

***

A mile down the road, Burt was driving the humvee as fast as he dared on the wreckage filled highway, trying to get Michael back to the Nest and Doctor Cottle as soon as possible.

"As soon as we're in range of the Nest, I'll radio them to be ready for us." Burt said.

A concerned Carley looked over the backseat. "How is he?" She asked Saul as he worked to control the bleeding from Michael's leg.

"I'm still conscious you know." Michael winced as Saul tightened the tourniquet around his right thigh. "You can ask me."

"But a patient makes for a lousy doctor." Saul joked.

"Okay, doc," Michael relented. "Tell her how am I doing."

"The bullet went clean through and I got the bleeding stopped." Saul informed Carley before adding jokingly "But I'm not sure if he'll be able to ever dance again."

"Maybe it's because I can't dance to begin with." Michael declared.

Michael's rare attempt at dry humor got everyone in the vehicle to laugh and release some of the tension builtup from their close call. After they quieted down, Burt spoke up.

"I think it's safe to say we won't be coming this way in the foreseeable future unless we're looking to start a war."

For once Michael was in complete agreement. "For now, none of our patrols comes within 30 miles of Woodbury for any reason."

Carley sat back down silently wondering if sparing Lilly's life was the right thing to do. She can't help but to wonder if her act of mercy will cost someone else in the long run. She can only hope that it won't.

"Lets make it 40 to be safe." Carley suggested. Lilly is not her problem anymore and she won't waste another moment thinking about her .

Unknowingly, she glanced at a road sign on a turn off along Highway 85. Carley read it but didn't give it a second thought as they drove on by heading straight for home.

The road sign read:

WEST CENTRAL PRISON  
5 MILES


	7. Travelier

**Chapter Seven: Travelier**

It took over a month but Michael finally allowed me to come back to investigate this place. I wasn't sure what I hoped to find. It felt like returning to the scene of a crime or your own grave.

The Travelier Motel.

The place was the same as I remembered it when we left it in a big hurry. I saw the gaping hole that Kenny's escaping RV made in the hastily erect wall we built in front of the motel. Peering over part of the barrier that was still standing, my heart sank when I saw four walkers milling about on the inside of the motel parking area. It appeared no one had come back after we left.

Slowly, I crouched back down next to Saul, Burt and Riley. They all saw the look of sadness on my face.

"Nothing was touched," I told them. "Everything looks just the same the day when we escaped."

"I'm so sorry Carley." Riley whispered.

"You don't know," Saul tried to offer me some hope. "Let's get in there and get a better look for ourselves."

"Besides," Burt added. "Just because they didn't come back means nothing. They might have found that boat and they're off to a better place. No, that better place… You know what I mean."

"I know what you meant but thank you." I told him and he placed a gentle hand on my shoulder and gave a reassuring squeeze.

Burt looked to Riley. "You got the keys to get us in?"

"I've got them right here." The French woman readied her compound hunting bow, nocking the first arrow on the string and she was ready to shoot. Peeking through a crack in the damaged wall, she waited until none of the walkers were facing her direction. Then she stood up, drawing back the string, with her target selected before letting the arrow loose.

Looking through another split in the wall, I was still amazed that the walkers barely reacted to one of their numbers falling to the ground with an arrow protruding from its head just feet from them. They heard the arrow striking and even stopped to look at their fallen comrade but its like they viewed it as something unimportant before continuing to shuffle about. It was just like on that night when I helped Glenn and Lee to try and save that girl not long ago.

How the walkers perceived our world around them I always wondered. Are they only drawn to movement, sound and smell? Why on earth do they need to attack the living? Is everything purely instinct to them? Regardless, I was thankful they were as dumb as a piece of furniture or we would really be in trouble.

I continued to watch Riley operate with the skill and precision of a surgeon. She easily dispatched the remaining three walkers in about a minute, never missing once and they had never clued in that we were here. She was amazing and I'm glad she volunteered to help.

With the area cleared, Saul returned back to the humvee parked just 200 feet from the motel and brought up into the parking lot.

Being this close to the city of Macon, Michael and Burt made sure we were ready for trouble and gave everything we needed.

Beside her bow and quiver of thirty arrows, Riley also carried a pistol and pouches filled with several extra clips on her belt giving her almost 100 rounds if needed for any serious trouble.

Saul had his sidearm and his trusty M4 with every pouch on his carrying vest loaded with as many magazines he could haul. Altogether, he must have had nearly 700 rounds for his rifle and pistol.

As for Burt, well he only had his Desert Eagle gun name after his former wife, Shirley. Besides being a former marine, the man was also a champion marksman during his civilian life on the shooting range and so far I never saw him miss a shot yet.

For me, I still had my glock 17 with about 100 rounds for it but for added firepower Burt gave me an AR15 with my own smaller carrying vest with 300 rounds. It's a civilian version of the military rifle, semi-automatic firing only but still uses 5.56 rounds. This rifle was also a gift from Burt to me for saving him from Ron during our run against Woodbury. The old marine may not be in the habit of saying thank you but when he did, he often said it with guns.

I was a little worried in trying to use something so complex compared to a handgun that it would jam up on me in no time. Using anything with too many moving parts or requiring batteries could be my downfall in life. However, after Burt gave me a crash course in how to use and care for it, my new rifle didn't seem as intimating.

Now standing here in the park lot, I felt empty and as desolated as this place looks. I watched as Riley retrieved her arrows from the walkers giving them a quick cleaning wipe before placing them back in the quiver.

Then I felt everyone's eyes were on me. This was once my home and they were trying to be respectful, just waiting for me to give the word. Well, time to get this over with.

"Food, weapons and medicine are stored in room 4. Fuel and engine parts will be in room 6." I told them.

Strange, I was in such a hurry to get here and now to find it empty of life to the people I cared for, I just want to leave it as quickly as possible.

We did a thorough search and even though all the doors were shut and even locked we treated each of them like there might be a walker inside. One stayed on the roof of the humvee on lookout. Two would go into the room to sweep it and the last one remained in the doorway. No one gets out of sight of each other.

We found the food, weapons, medicine, fuel and engines parts exactly where they were supposed to be. Nothing was taken, a sure sign of no one returning here after we were gone. I think the ten cans of gasoline we collected would be the greatest help along with the medicine. We had some canned food left, just a couple weeks worth for seven people if rationed carefully. As for weapons, we had four hunting rifles, 2 shotguns and six handguns with about 400 rounds of assorted ammo.

Saul asked if we should leave something behind just in case. I just told them if they're not back by now, they never will be. When those words left my mouth, it felt like someone else was talking, I need to get out of here but unfortunately I'm not done yet.

We approached the last room in this motel, the one I needed to visit. Probably the last chance I'll ever get close to them again. I opened the door and walked in with my rifle ready. Just behind me was Riley as we carefully searched the room for any walkers. Saul stood in the door to watch us and to remain in sight of Burt at the humvee. We stayed in sight of each other like an unbroken chain.

The room looked clear but half of it was blocked by a curtain strung across it. The walls were covered with paper crayon drawings of sunrises, flowers, animals and people. One of the drawings looked like me. I felt my heart tightening in my chest. No, focus!

I move past the first bed, and it was made all nice and tidy. This was Lee's and that man could keep his room in way better shape than I could with mine.

I dropped onto one knee and checked under the bed literally for monsters but found nothing. I stood back up and moved on to the curtain, walking pass a desk covered by more paper drawings and a crayon set. The chair at the desk had a brown leather coat hung over it.

I was now within a few feet of the curtain and I glanced over to Riley. She had her pistol out and she nodded that she was ready. Behind her in the doorway, I saw Saul raising his rifle too. Using my own rifle, I quickly pushed the curtain aside with the barrel only to find Clementine's bed. It too was nicely made and was left like that since the day we fled from here.

It was hard being in that room, their faces are haunting me. One more place to check and then I can finally relax. I stepped forwards and towards the bathroom. The door was open and I peered in. The shower curtains were thankfully drawn open too, allowing me a clear view. Empty.

"We're good." I told Riley and Saul while lowering my weapon.

There was a moment of silence and I felt their eyes on me again, waiting for me to do or say something. I needed to leave, too many memories for me to handle.

So I turned to head for the door. "Okay, let's go."

Riley looked surprised, stopping me. "Wait. Do you want to look around some more or take something with you? The way you spoke, these two meant a lot to you."

"We may not come this way again for a long while, Carley." Saul added. "Take something to remember them."

"All the important stuff is already loaded into the humvee and the people who lived here are gone," I told them, trying hard not to think or feel, just handling the situation logically. "And with everything that happened, I shouldn't be clinging to the past. We all lost people and I'm no different. A lot of us didn't even have time to mourn."

I started to leave again but Riley didn't move, blocking my path. She looked at the all the crayon drawings adorning the walls. "She's quite an artist. All of them bright and hopeful."

I just wanted to get out of there. Just too many painful reminders surrounding me, why won't she let me leave?

Slowly I looked at the drawings again and it made me think of her. My voice was a whisper. "She was. She… She was joy to be around and her optimism was infectious. She would brighten your day with a few words no matter how bad you felt."

"Then why do you want to forget that?" Riley asked.

We were standing right in front of the desk and I found my hand resting on the back of the chair with the leather coat draped over it. It was Lee's and on that day it was usually warm so he left it when everything happened. Slowly, I gripped the coat and lifted it up close to me until I found myself hugging it tightly to my chest.

"If we were to walk into a singles bar at the same time before all this happened, we probably wouldn't give each other a second look." I said quietly. "Not there was anything wrong with him but we… you know, have our own idea in our heads who we might hook up with."

At the doorway, Saul lightly laughed. "What we want never matches with reality. Look at me and Lizzy."

I just had to laugh back at him. "Saul, she looks like a supermodel! Oh it must be just horrible for you!"

"That's not what I mean." Saul said defensively. "Life can throw us curveballs. You never know what to expect."

I paused, feeling sad. "He was not what I expected either. I never told you but he was a convicted felon, responsible for the death of the state senator a few years back. I knew it right from the start when I saw him, being a reporter and all. I even told him I knew and warned him about causing any trouble for us but promising to keep it to myself."

Saul and Riley looked surprised at my confession, not that it mattered anymore. The French woman soon asked. "What did he do?"

"He merely thanked me and surprised me repeatedly with his helpfulness and compassion to all of us. He even saved my life," I admitted to them. "I knew his secret and if he wanted me gone, he could have looked the other way and let the walkers have me but he saved me. Later he told me when he got into that fight with that state senator who had an affair with his wife, didn't mean for his death. It was an accident and I truly believed him."

"I remember reading a little about that cause," Saul suddenly said. "Some thought that friends of the late senator were putting pressure to have the book thrown at Lee. Sure, a man died but the situation warranted perhaps manslaughter at most, not murder."

"Yeah," I said and I continued to talk about him. Why do I feel the need to talk about him now? Do I ready miss him that much? Yes, I do. "We… We never, you know. We flirted and teased one another. I even found out that I have a thing for men who saved my life. First it was Doug, then it was Lee and I have to admit I have a thing for Angel now when you found and saved me that night."

"Oh?" Riley cocked an eyebrow in amusement. Angel had been busy trying to court the French woman for awhile now. "Do I have some competition?"

"Me against your good looks and that damn sexy French accent that men drool over?" I commented. "I don't stand a chance and to be honest, being single suits me for now."

I tried to smile but I felt incredibly depressed and I must have looked it because Riley suddenly hugged me. I returned it and even though I didn't want to cry, I felt tears welling up in my good right eye. I glanced at the wall with all the pictures taped to it.

"I would like to take Clementine's drawings too."

Riley rubbed my back and released me. "Sure and I'll help."

Riley was giving me a hand in pulling the drawings down when suddenly Burt called to us from the parking area, still looking out for any approaching walkers. "Hey! What is taking so long?"

Still standing in the doorway, Saul got a devilish look on his face and turned to answer. "Quiet! Carley and Riley are making out!"

There was a short pause from Burt when he finally hollered back. "Take pictures!"

Saul was laughing until he turned to face our glaring eyes and he quickly tried to look innocent. "Come on, it was a joke. You know something you say to get a ha-ha? No? Oooookay, I'm just going to head around this corner and get out of sight because you are both armed and are starting to scare me."

Riley and I let poor Saul sweat it out for a few more minutes before letting him off the hook. I will admit the joke was a little funny. With all of Clementine's drawings rounded up and with Lee's coat, we started to leave the room but I stopped and turned around to grab one last thing.

We gathered around the humvee all set to go. Burt gave the items I was carrying a curious look.

"A worn leather coat, a bunch of kid's sketches and a box of crayons," The old marine commented softly. "You got what you came for?"

"No but this is as close as I might ever get." I replied sadly. As I walked to the humvee with everyone else, the former marine gently patted me on the back. I really love old Burt. He's the anti-Larry in our group.

I couldn't thank them all enough for helping me to come back here and at least settle this piece of the puzzle. I may never know what happened to them but I have to believe that they're okay and alive somewhere safe.

Before we departed for home, I finally agreed with leaving something behind in room 4. There, we left several cans of food to last at least five people for a couple of days, a pistol with thirty rounds of ammo, a can of gasoline and a two way radio with fresh batteries.

With it included a note from Burt.

_To: Lee and friends_

_We're trying to find you. Head south towards Amercus on Highway 19 and until you reach the turn off to County Road 46. When there, switch on the radio to channel 9. We're constantly monitoring the emergency channel 24/7 for as long as we can. Be warned, we will know if it's you or not._

_From: Carley's friends._

We have to keep hope alive and it's just as important as merely surviving. It's what gives us the will to get through til tomorrow and the day after that. Without it, we will become the walking dead.


	8. What was Lost

**Chapter Eight: What was Lost**

_Winter came and went and despite the harsh temperatures and blowing snow, we received a much needed reprieve from the walkers. The drop in temperature froze them solid and allowed us to easily venture out more as long as the snow didn't made the roads too impassable. The only danger besides the cold was the bandits and other survivors willing to fight over what was left which ended often in gunfire whenever we met. We suffered a few wounded from gunshots but nothing too serious except for one member from our group. His name was Andy, a middle-aged gentleman who was always eager to help out and we talked to each other often. He often said how glad he felt not to be worrying about walkers but instead he forgot to worry more about the bandits. Bastards._

Food and gas are a few things that are becoming an increasing concern because we know eventually it's all going to run out. With the approach of spring and warmer weather we're outlining some plans to become more self-sufficient. Pegs wants to expand her garden which means perhaps building a new wall or barrier to keep any walkers from trampling it or bandits from raiding it.

We're looking at locating some solar panels or making wind turbines so we don't have to burn precious gasoline running the generators. Michael is not crazy at the idea of sticking windmills high up in the air all around us. It could attract unwanted attention and a few of us tend to agree.

Spring is not far off and I'm heading out with the others to do a quick grab for whatever supplies are left before the walkers completely unthaw along with the melting snow. There are a few places in the neighboring towns we haven't tried yet.

I still think about them when I'm alone with a moment to myself or lying in bed trying to sleep. Lee, Clementine, Kenny, Katjaa, Duck and Ben, I hope you are all safe.

* * *

Driving along the road to their next destination, they were forced to rely on the more fuel efficient vehicles. It was one of new Ford Escape hybrid SUVs. It definitely had better mileage compared to their gas hog humvee but without the protection and carrying capacity. Still, they have to make every drop of gas count now. The humvee will still be reserved for travelling into more dangerous areas.

In places there was still snow on the ground but the roads were completely passable now.

From behind the wheel Angel groaned as they drove around a bend in the road. "That's not good."

From the backseat of the vehicle, Riley and Carley were chatting amongst themselves when they looked up.

"What is it?" Carley asked when she saw it. "Damn."

It was a walker crossing the road. They were starting to thaw in the warming weather, a little sooner than they had hoped. Its movements were very sluggish. The cold was still having an impact on it as the lone walker struggled along as Angel just drove around it.

In the passenger seat, Michael tried to remain upbeat. "We knew it was going to happen eventually but hopefully not all of them are mobile yet."

They were driving eastward on Road 27 when a few miles later, Angel spotted a small blue car parked along side of the road pointed west.

"Hey, Michael I think that's new." He pointed out to the sergeant.

"Yeah," Michael replied. They droved along this road two weeks before and this car definitely wasn't here last time. "Pull up and let's take a look."

Angel stopped their SUV right beside the apparently abandoned car. They all got out with weapons at the ready. The hood to the engine was up and Angel went over to inspect it as Riley and Carley watched their surroundings.

Michael checked the doors to the car to find them locked before trying to peer through the windows. "Definitely looks like someone has been living out of this vehicle. I see blankets, a few water bottles, clothes and canned goods."

"Looks like they had problems with the radiator," Angel said before holding up a roll of duct tape he found lying just inside the engine compartment. "And they tried to fix it."

"So where are they?" Riley asked, eyeing the nearby tree line. "Did they try to walk out?"

"I see some tracks here," Carley pointed out, seeing some footprints in the remaining snow. Also listening, she could faintly hear the running water from a nearby stream before turning to the others. "I think they might have gone into the woods for water, maybe for the radiator."

Angel put his hand on the motor of the car and it was cold. "If they did, they must be taking their time. Think we should investigate?"

Michael thought it over for a second before shaking his head. "No. The owners might return at any second and I don't want any confrontations. Let's go."

They started to return to their vehicle when Carley walked around the car but paused to look inside when her eye caught something familiar looking in the back seat. She leaned in closer to the car window when they all heard a gunshot ringing out from the woods in the direction of the sound of the running stream.

Alert they lifted their weapons at the ready but they quickly realized they weren't the targets.

"That shot was in the other direction." Riley observed.

"Now should we check?" Angel asked.

Then there was another gunshot, followed by two more. Michael didn't like this and wasn't going to risk anyone's life by walking into those woods. "Not worth the chance. Everyone back into the vehicle."

Carley didn't move an inch from the blue car as she stared back through the car window again. Her eyes were focused on a very familiar looking blue and white baseball cap resting on the backseat. Carley felt the blood drain from her body straight down to her feet, when she heard the gunshots again.

"Impossible." Carley looked into the woods, towards the source of the discharging firearm. It was probably one in a million but it had to be hers! If she was here, then he had to be here as well.

Michael, Riley and Angel were getting into the vehicle as the sergeant called out to her. "Let's go Carley." Then he watched helplessly as she took off into the woods, in a full run, towards the gunshots. "CARLEY!" He shouted after her.

The running woman paused only for a second to yell back. "They're out there!"

A surprised Angel and Riley looked to Michael before the army sergeant just grimaced in confusion over Carley's sudden rash behavior. "Shit! After her!"

Together they chased after Carley as Michael wondered what the hell she was talking about. Whatever she was up to, Carley was putting herself and all of them at risk. There was no way of knowing what was waiting for them in the forest.

Still pursuing Carley, they watched as she reached a sharp slope as the sound of the running stream growing louder. She disappeared out of sight for a moment as she ran down the incline. When they reached the edge of the slope themselves they all came to a halt at what they saw below them.

There at the bottom of the slope, close to the stream was a little girl, next to the body of a fallen adult, concealed under a blanket with countless walkers closing in on them. The undead moved like a wave, shuffling forward amongst the trees and across the stream towards the child and the motionless adult. Charging to meet them was Carley, firing her rifle as she rushed to the girl's side pushing her down to place herself between the walkers and the two helpless victims.

Michael had a choice, either help or abandon them but of the two there was only one he could live with. He ran forward towards the undead horde with Riley and Angel just behind him. Together on each side they formed up on Carley into a defensive line before adding their firepower to hers into the mass of walkers at a range of barely hundred feet.

On paper, Michael's team held every advantage possible except for one, numbers. There must have been 200 plus walkers facing them and a lot of things could go wrong and Michael had seen it all happen countless times. The US military was wiped out within a couple of weeks of the outbreak trying to contain it and that was the problem, the outbreak couldn't possibly be contained. By the time everyone realized the sheer magnitude of the situation they were dealing with it was too late.

Smaller military units simply ran out of ammo quickly against the sheer numbers of walkers they encountered and were killed. Some of them didn't have men or the firepower to stop the undead masses which advanced faster than they could kill them, overrunning their positions.

Tunnel vision is another danger for individual soldiers, get too focus on what is ahead, you could forget to check your flanks and rear and the miss the one's creeping up on you. Another is that people, even veteran soldiers could simply crack and panic from the stress because there are some things the human mind can't simply handle. Like fighting walking corpses, day after nightmarish day. These are problems they were still facing today.

Michael kept doing a quick check on their flanks and rear every ten seconds when his rifle suddenly ran dry. In one smooth motion, he ejected the empty magazine and slapped a fresh one in and continued firing.

There were just so many of them but the cold was still affecting their movements and slowing them. Michael's team was also managing to kill them fast enough that the bodies were piling up. So much that the walkers started tripping and falling over the bodies of their slain companions. Still, the undead kept on coming, either walking or crawling and a hit to the head was the only thing that would stop them permanently.

After a while Michael started to feel more like a robot than human. A computerized firing control system might as well have been operating his weapon.

Select Target… Lock on… Shoot!  
Select Target… Lock on… Shoot!  
Select Target… Lock on… Shoot!  
Select Target… Lock on… Shoot!

Slowly, after what felt like forever, the mass of walkers slowly begin to thin out until his team's guns finally grew silent. They all simply ran out of targets to shoot at.

Lowering the smoking barrels of their weapons, just starting twenty feet away was a massive pile of undead. It was almost four feet high in places, fifty feet wide and nearly sixty feet deep. The silence was so deafening to Michael before he heard someone cursing.

"Oh fuck, fuck," It was Angel trying to calm his nerves. "Let's never try that again!"

Michael quietly nodded in agreement. If they had to fight walkers, it would be from strong defensive positions and preferably at longer distances, not in the open and at near point blank range. What they did was dangerous and stupid but at least they survived.

** "Je crois que je viens âgée de 10 ans en 30 secondes!" Riley uttered in her native language as she replaced a fresh magazine into her pistol, her hands trembling slightly. _(** "I think I just aged 10 years in 30 seconds!")_

Angel looked at her. "I don't know what you said but I agree!"

Then Michael heard another new sound, the little girl behind them was crying. He turned and saw Carley moving to check her but all he felt was anger at the moment. Carley took such a foolish risk rushing out here not knowing what was waiting for them and putting the rest of them in danger too. Michael opened his mouth to speak but he was instantly silenced when the little girl, dressed in winter clothing and cap cried out literally flinging herself into the woman's waiting arms.

"Carley!"

Michael was taken back. _What? They know each other?_

Carley dropped to her knees, embracing the little girl tightly. "It's okay Clementine, we're here. You're safe."

_Clementine?_

Now Michael was staring at the situation before him in utter disbelief. Michael is an army Sergeant in the US military (or was) and is a very practical and realistic man. He doesn't really believe in luck or even a guiding hand of a higher power. His experience in Iraq and the events of the last few months of the apocalypse showed him that things occur if you make it happen, let it happen or it will simply happen regardless whatever you do.

However, the odds of them just stumbling across the very two people that Carley had been hunting for months in a state the size of Georgia is immeasurable. It would be right up there with, well the dead raising from the grave and now it looks like both just happened.

For a moment, he wondered if something did guide them here because nothing else made sense.

He turned his attention to the figure on the ground covered by a heavy blanket. He could see the person's head and it was a black male.

_Lee Everett, I presume._

Carefully he approached him and knelt down and checked his neck for a pulse and found one, it was weak though.

"Michael is he?" Carley asked hesitantly.

He looked up and found both the woman and the little girl, in her arms, were staring at him nervously. The little girl had the most intense brown eyes ever and they were now locked on onto his, with tears flowing freely, waiting for his reply.

"He's alive but barely." He told them, grateful it was indeed good news. He kept checking him and found some bandages soaked with dry blood on forehead.

Michael looked to the little girl again. "Sweetheart, what happened here?"

"The car overheated and Lee fixed it. We needed some water but he was concerned about using our own drinking water because we had so little left," Clementine explained as she struggled to compose herself, wiping her eyes. "We then heard the stream nearby and we tried to get some there but Lee slipped and hit his head. He wouldn't wake-up and it was getting dark so I went back to the car and grabbed some blankets."

She protected him from the cold but a troubling thought occurred to Michael. "How long were you out here?"

"Two days."

"You were out here alone for two days!" Riley gasped, imagining the two of them exposed to the cold nights and the walkers.

Clementine nodded and a stunned Carley held her a bit tighter but Michael found himself admiring her. She was a brave and smart little kid, covering him trying to keep him warm.

"Clementine," Carley slowly released the young girl to talk to her. "Where's Ben and Kenny and his family?"

For a moment, Clementine looked sad again but she held back the tears and said softly. "Gone."

As Carley comforted Clementine, Angel spotted something on the ground close to him. It was an emptied glock and he picked up the discarded pistol. It wasn't one of theirs. "Who fired this?"

"I did," Clementine answered quietly. "I knew the noise attracted them but one of them found us and I had to."

A look of shock came over Angel's face that an eight year old was trained to shoot a gun but all he could say at the moment was. "Did you get him?"

The little girl actually smiled slightly. "Yes."

_Brave, smart and apparently very capable, and firing that gun brought us to the rescue._Michael thought.

"Michael?" The tone of Riley's voice alerted everyone.

Looking up they spotted even more walkers approaching. Not as many they faced the first time but enough to get Michael and the others moving.

"Everyone, back to the vehicle," The Sergeant ordered as he reached down and grabbed Lee's unconscious body. "Angel, you're on point. Riley, guard our rear and Carley and I will stay between you."

Scooping Clementine in her arms, Carley watched as Michael lifted Lee up into a fireman's carry. She had to fight down the instinct to ask if it was safe to move him simply because they didn't have a choice. They had to get out of here before they'd eventually be overwhelmed by walkers. No telling how many of the undead heard their gun battle and were now closing in on them from every direction.

With Angel leading the way, they started back up the slope. Carley was following Michael and more than once she thought he was going to slip and fall. It wasn't a steep climb but the ground was covered in a mixture of partially melted snow and ice but Michael kept his balance.

Once on level ground, they all easily hurried through the woods and back to the road and their vehicle. By the time they placed Lee in the back several walkers started appearing from the woods on either side of them, drawn by their gunfire.

Angel ushered Carley to the front passenger seat with Clementine still in her arms as he jumped into the back seat with Lee and Riley. Michael was already behind the wheel, starting the engine. They all got in and shut the doors. Putting it in gear, he hit the gas before quickly pulling a quick U-turn to put them on a course back for home.

Even more walkers were stepping out of the woods and onto the road. By now and Michael sped up to escape before they could block their path. He was heading straight into a small group in the middle of the road and he had no choice but to go through them.

Suddenly, Carley heard Michael exclaime. "Shit!"

He immediately hit the brakes and slowed the vehicle down to a crawl and almost gently bumped into the walkers, knocking them down. Then he hit the gas again and they all felt the vehicle rocked as the tires went over the undead bodies. In moments they were all in the clear.

Gasping and still tightly holding onto Clementine, Carley looked over to Michael. "What was that all about with hitting the brakes?"

Michael actually looked a little pale. "I almost forgot." He replied.

"Forgot what?"

The sergeant glanced at her. "Look at what you are both sitting in front of."

Carley glanced at Clementine who was seated on her lap before looking at the vehicle's dashboard and felt a chill. She forgot about it too. On the dashboard directly in front of them was a large panel with small simple lettering in the bottom right corner, spelling out the word: AIRBAG.

If Michael would have hit those walkers with enough speed to deploy the airbag with Clementine on her lap, Carley didn't want to think about it.

"Oh shit." Carley muttered.

"That's a swear." Clementine said, not realizing how close she came to being seriously injured or worse.

Smiling, she quickly kissed the top of Clementine's head before looking back. "How is he?"

Riley was cleaning and changing the bandage to the wound on his forehead. "Vitals are still weak but he's still with us."

"Keep checking his pulse every five minutes." Michael ordered. "Angel?"

From the back came his even reply. "I'm ready."

Carley grew silent as she knew what was happening behind her. With Lee between them, Riley would be monitoring his vitals to be sure he's still alive. As she did that, Angel would secure Lee's wrist together with plastic ties, while watching him closely keeping his sidearm at the ready.

They all have seen how fast a person can turn, literally within minutes after death.

Quietly, Carley tried to will their vehicle back to the Nest and to the care of Doctor Cottle faster.


	9. Fatal Hope

**Chapter Nine: Fatal hope **

_I found them. _

Carley continued to repeat the words in her mind. She could scarcely believe it even as she held Clementine in her arms. Driving through the main gate of the Nest, the exhausted little girl was fast asleep, her head resting comfortably against Carley's right shoulder.

Pulling up close as they could to the mansion, Angel and Michael carried Lee inside while Carley carried a still sleeping Clementine right behind them. Not too surprising, bringing in two survivors gathered much attention from the Nest's inhabitants, the especially the child that Carley held. One of the sad facts was that there were no children here. The youngest person they had was nineteen. It seemed that single people did better surviving than entire families, simply because the 'lone wolf' types could immediately pack up and run with nothing slowing them down.

Once inside, Lee was taken to Doctor Cottle while Carley took Clementine to another room to wait. The little girl was still asleep as Carley gently placed her on a couch but she stirred as the older woman started removing her winter cap and heavy coat.

"Lee?" A sleepy eyed Clementine whispered, looking around at her new strange surroundings.

"He's being cared for right now," Carley assured her as she reached for a nearby folded blanket opening . "We have a doctor."

The little girl didn't put up much of a struggle as Carley gently laid her down and covered her with the blanket. "I'll be right back." The older woman promised as she stood up.

Suddenly, Clementine sat up and grabbed her arm, pleading. "Stay."

All Carley wanted to do was to check on Lee and didn't feel confident in bring Clementine along in case his condition took a turn for the worse. But listening to the girl's heartfelt plea and staring into those imploring eyes, Carley couldn't refuse.

"Alright," The older woman smiled before sitting down on the couch next to her. Clementine moved closer to rest her head on Carley's lap.

Carley could see the little girl was indeed very tired after watching over Lee for two days and at the very least, she could return the favor and watch over her for a few hours. Carley gently stroked her fingers through Clementine's short hair and in moments, the little girl was fast asleep again.

It must have been a nightmare being outside in the cold and after dark with the threat of walkers possibly appearing at any moment. Carley thought with a shudder. She was an adult and just the idea of confronting that scenario by herself scared her.

Carley really wanted to ask some questions, like what did Clementine meant by Ben and Kenny's family being gone? Were they dead or did they somehow get separated? What the hell happened in Savannah? Well, the questions could wait a while longer and she would enjoy sometime with the girl in peace and quiet.

Suddenly, there was a soft knock at the door and Carley looked up expecting it to be Michael or Dr. Cottle himself bringing news on Lee but instead it was Lizzy.

The blonde woman grinned gleefully. "Oh God, its true!"

Carley raised a finger to her lips, urging her to be silent and not wake Clementine. Then to her surprise when Lizzy walked in, she was immediately followed by Pegs, Kelly and Riley. They all wanted to see the Nest's newest and youngest resident.

"Just look at her." Lizzy whispered excitedly.

Pegs covered her mouth as she eagerly agreed. "She's so adorable looking."

Carley just shook her head in disbelief, whispering sternly. "She's not a unicorn! Get a hold of yourselves." The last thing she wanted was for Clementine to wake up and find a bunch of strangers staring at her.

"She might as well be," Kelly replied matter of factly. "Unlike you, we haven't seen a child in almost a year."

"I might be guilty of wanting to see her again too," Riley said confessed. "But I also got news, Doctor Cottle said Lee is stable but he has a concussion."

Carley glanced down at Clementine to make sure she was still asleep before asking. "So, he has no idea when he might wake up?"

Riley shook her head. "No but beyond being dehydrated the doctor said he's okay for the time being but..."

The French woman hesitated and Carley grew increasingly concerned. "But what?"

"We have another problem." Riley started.

* * *

Michael was not having a good day as he approached the meeting hall. It was barely an hour after they returned to the Nest with Clementine and Lee when Burt notified him of some rumblings within their camp. Bringing in new people always raises concerns about the place being able to continue sustaining itself with dwindling food resources. Michael had to deal with it now before it got out of hand and he wasn't surprised to find out who was stirring things up.

Stepping into the meeting hall with Burt in tow, Michael saw Chad with his supporters, five men and three women. That was about a quarter of the total number of people here.

Over the months since establishing themselves here, there was always a bit of a power struggle for control of the Nest. First it was Kelly with her objection over Michael's leadership and him having the final say over everything. Michael even bumped heads with Burt on a few occasions over important decisions but since he started delegating tasks and responsibilities to everyone, things had improved.

However, it still wasn't good enough for Chad. Michael and the others could see that he wanted to be in charge and challenged Michael at every opportunity. Bringing in two extra mouths to feed was one of those times. There was some grumblings over the addition of Carley months ago but she was a woman and of the 32 people here, only 12 were female. As Burt put it, a dame famine can be just as bad as the lack of food over an extended long period of time.

Michael knew that Chad was no fool and he was able to get people stirred up with fear mongering. Food was tight but it was far from critical, unfortunately empty bellies or the threat of it could get people to do things they wouldn't normal do. One concerned was that Chad wasn't a good listener or team player with his own ideas of getting things done. Michael would hate to see if he was put in charge of the Nest and even Kelly recognized how unwise it would be with him calling the shots.

_Let's try to keep it civil._ Michael thought before taking in a calming breath to speak evenly. "What is the problem?"

Chad just glared at the army sergeant before folding his arms across his chest. "Just how many strays are you planning to keep bringing in here?"

_Screw with keeping things civil!_

"Strange," Michael said, returning Chad's stare. "You were a stray too when we let you in with everyone else here in those initial weeks."

"That was different," Chad retorted. "Food is getting scarce now and you are out there playing hero to every sorry soul you find."

"That's right. I'm out there and risking my neck while you just stand there criticizing everything I do."

"What the fuck are you talking about," Chad just stared angrily at Michael. "I go out there too."

"How many times have you gone out there in the last month looking for supplies?" Michael challenged. "Meanwhile, Carley, our newest member has constantly volunteered to go out there time and again and put her life on the line for the rest of us. If you had your way you would have kicked her out long ago!"

"You're changing the subject. We're not talking about Burt's little pet."

"What are you talking about?" Burt grumbled aloud, being suddenly brought into this argument.

"You're tight about handing out guns but she's now permitted to walk around with a sidearm." Chad said.

"Because she's responsible and I trust her which is far more than I can say about you, you piece of shit!" Burt fired back.

Chad laughed "More like she willing to tow the line in your little empire here."

"Fuck you!" Burt moved to break the man in half when Michael stepped between them.

"Enough!" The army sergeant shouted before focusing on Chad and the others again. "Yes, we found two survivors, an injured man and an eight year old girl that was with him. Are you suggesting we turn them away?"

"Wait," A woman in Chad's group spoke up. "We're just concerned about supplies. No one is suggesting throwing out a child..."

"I'll handle this," Chad interrupted her. "Of course the little girl can stay but how many more can we take?"

"We have enough food and we're planning to help expand Peg's garden." Michael said. "There is no reason for you to cause a panic."

"Panic? What if we have a dry season?" Chad questioned tightly. "What good is her garden then? We sure can't hunt because the walkers are busy eating everything living outside these walls."

"We have the pool and several rivers for water nearby." Michael countered.

"I say we can't take the risk. We should put this to a vote if the adult can stay," Chad demanded. "From what I understand he isn't even family to the girl."

Michael took a step towards him. "There will be no vote because you are not throwing anyone out."

"You see!" Chad turned to face his supporters. "They behave like our overlords refusing to listen and putting us all in danger! We need to look after our own first because no one else will come to our rescue!"

Chad suddenly saw that their attention was not on him but at the door entrance to the meeting hall. He looked to see Carley standing there holding hands with Clementine, as the little girl peeked from behind the older woman's leg.

"No, please go on." Carley said dryly to everyone but her full attention was on Chad. "But while you are all debating the fate of this man, please know he risked everything to protect this little girl and he has a name, it's Lee. You should all know that and maybe have the decency to tell her why you want to thrown him out."

With that, Carley reached down and picked up Clementine before walking away. Michael saw that Carley's and Clementine's appearance took some steam out of everyone, shaming them a little, including Chad. He quickly took an advantage of it.

"No one is getting thrown out and no one is going to starve. That's my promise," Michael said calmly. "Now, is there anything else?"

Michael just stared at Chad, daring him to say another word. After a moment of silence, the army sergeant simply looked at everyone else. "Good, we're done here."

Leaving the meeting hall, Michael was closely followed by Burt.

"He has a point," Burt said. "If we have a drought, it will make life a lot harder for us."

"You don't think that thought has been on my mind all winter." Michael replied under his breath. "We have been lucky so far and I would like to keep it that way. If things gets bad, people will start losing hope."

"You know what we really need?"

"What?"

"A few Amish survivors." Burt declared.

Michael gave the ex-marine a confused stare. Was that a joke? But Burt was serious.

"I'm not kidding. Sure they dress oddly but their need to cling to the 1800 century sure makes them more adaptable to our situation without missing much of a beat."

"Or a library." Michael suddenly uttered outloud.

"What?"

"On our next outing, let's hit some libraries. Just a couple of the right books with the needed information might just save us in the long run."

"Hope to find the 'Living in the Medieval Ages for Dummies'?" Burt mused aloud.

"Something like that," Michael agreed. "We're lucky to have people like Pegs, Datu and our doctor in our group. Food is important but what are we going to do when our vehicles, generators finally stop working."

"I might suggest using horses to get around but I think Chad is definitely right on one point, the walkers probably ate all of them." Burt muttered. "Soon our light bulbs won't have anymore electricity to power them and candles sure won't last forever even though they are a freaking fire hazard."

Turning a corner in the hallway, Michael nodded. "Yeah, we could use the Amish saving us right about now."

"Or find a good how to book." Burt chuckled as they entered Doctor Cottles little infirmary located in the corner of the mansion. There they found Carley watching as Dr. Cottle gave Clementine a quick examination. Seeing them enter, Carley walked over to them, looking anxious. Michael raised his hand to calm her.

"Everything is fine," He assured her. "You took some of the fight out of them. Thank you for that."

Carley smiled in relief. "Well, thank her too," She gestured to the little girl as Dr. Cottle checked her pulse. "She wanted to help Lee just as much as I did."

"They won't try it again?" Clementine asked worriedly from the chair she was seated on.

"No they won't," Burt promised. "No if me or Shirley have anything to say about that."

"Or me," Dr. Cottle spoke up, looking annoyed. "No one threatens my patients."

Clementine smiled at the reassurances as Dr. Cottle finished his examination.

"There, you are fit as a fiddle." The doctor declared as Clementine jumped off the chair.

"Thank you," The little girl said politely.

"You're welcome." Dr. Cottle beamed with a rare smile.

"Can we see Lee now?" Clementine asked.

The doctor hesitated before looking at Carley. "Will you be with her at all times?"

Carley walked over to Clementine and took her hand into hers. "Of course and I would like to see him too."

"He's just two doors down on your right." Dr. Cottle said. "Saul is for now watching him . When Chad started his ruckus, he came down immediately and volunteered to guard him as a precaution."

"Thanks." Carley nodded as she led Clementine out of the room.

Michael watched them leave when he turned to Dr. Cottle. "So doctor, how are our two new arrivals?"

"The girl is fine," Dr. Cottle answered. "Unfortunately, Lee is in worse shape."

"Considering he was unconscious for two days that is not too surprising." Burt said.

"Not just that," Dr. Cottle replied. "Clementine has a healthy weight for a child of her size and age but Lee is badly malnutritioned besides being dehydrated and he couldn't get like that in two days."

"What are you saying?" The army sergeant asked. "I looked inside their car and I saw cans of food."

"How much did you see?" Dr. Cottle questioned.

"Hmmm," Michael thought. "Not a lot unless he had more in the trunk."

Dr. Cottle nodded. "This Lee fellow had to be skipping meals to keep her feed."

"A standup thing he did," Burt commented. "But a little risky, he would be no good if he became too weak to protect her."

"A tough choice but I understand," Michael said. "Who of us would want to see a child go hungry?"

"No argument there but it's still damn risky to cross your fingers and hope for the best," Burt then grinned at an amusing thought. "Can we trade Chad in for this Lee guy?"


	10. Thirty-Four

**Chapter Ten: 'Thirty-Four'**

As Saul stood guard outside of Lee's room, smiling at the two figures approaching him in the hallway. "Rooster!" He called. "I see you located at least two of your lost flock from your nest."

"Yes I have," Carley said happily before stopping in front of him to gesture at the little girl standing next to her. "Clementine, this is Saul. Saul, this is Clementine."

Seeing the tall black soldier in BDUs, Clementine gave a slight smile and a small salute.

Saul laughed before snapping to an attention, returning it. "Specialist Saul Tink at your service, ma'am."

"You're protecting Lee?" Clementine asked.

"That's right ma'am," Saul nodded. "Nothing is getting by me."

"Thank you, Saul." Carley said gratefully. "I don't think we have anything to worry from Chad for now but its comforting seeing you here."

"Chad is nothing but a …" Saul eyes darted down to Clementine for a moment. "… P.O.S."

"Quick save." Carley smirked.

"The story of my life," Saul grinned before jabbing his thumb towards Lee's room. "You want to see him?"

"Please." Clementine asked politely.

"I'll give you all the time you need but please know that only his right leg is secured to the bed and his arms are not," Saul warned Carley while gesturing to Clementine. "Just don't let her get close unless you're there right beside her."

"Thank you again Saul." Carley nodded before leading Clementine into the room. Inside they found him, seemingly asleep on the bed with an IV unit hooked into his arm, giving his body needed fluids. Lee's forehead was wrapped with fresh bandages, covering his head wound. Glancing at his chest and even under layers of blankets, Carley could see his chest rising and falling as Lee breathed. Only then she allowed Clementine to get closer.

Standing next to Lee's bed, the little girl only stared at the unconscious man and it unnerved Carley a bit. She expected Clementine to cry or say something to try and wake him up but she probably did all of that during the two days they were trapped out in the woods.

Slowly Carley knelt down next to Clementine and gently hugged her. "He's going to be okay, Clem. You have to believe it."

Clementine just stared at Lee's still form on the bed. "I asked your doctor if he's going to be alright and he only said he'd do what he could."

"He's like that, he doesn't like making promises," Carley told her while quietly cursing Dr. Cottle's inability to lie for once.

"I understand," Clementine said softly. "I don't like it when people lie to me when bad things happen too."

Carley looked at the little girl in surprise, seeing how quickly she had matured and changed since the last time she saw her. "You have to hope that he will get better."

"I know."

Slowly, Clementine sadly turned to face Carley before wrapping her arms around the woman's neck. Carley held her but the little girl didn't cry and that greatly bothered the former reporter greatly. She knew it was impossible to shield Clementine completely from the horrors of their new world. She was so young but so far, the little girl seemed to be enduring it. Probably, thanks to Lee.

Carley gently pulled back to look at her. "Clementine, maybe you should get some more sleep. You're still exhausted and they'll come for us if Lee's condition changes."

She shook her head, almost pleading. "No, I want to stay here. Don't make me leave."

"I won't. You can stay," Carley promised remembering there were two furniture chairs in the corner of the room. "But let's sit over here."

Carley led Clementine over to the two chairs before sitting down into one. "Here Clem, lets rest here. I'll take this one and you can…"

Before Carley knew it, Clementine climbed right up to sit down on her lap and resting her head on the older woman's shoulder.

"… make yourself comfortable."

This was a surprise to Carley even though she always had been friendly and helpful to Clementine and even looking after her when Lee was away during their time at the motel. Maybe after being out there for in those woods on her own and with Lee being unavailable perhaps Clementine was seeking anything to make her feel safe.

For a long moment, the little girl was so still and quiet that Carley thought she might have instantly went to sleep but then Clementine spoke, her voice hesitant.

"Does it hurt?"

Carley glanced down at Clementine. "What?"

"Your eye."

Carley self-consciously touched her eye patch. "Uh, not anymore. Sometimes I forget about it."

"I'm sorry."

"No, don't be."

"Lilly did that to you. We all thought you were gone."

Carley paused, swallowing hard before gently stroking the little girl's hair. "I don't want to talk about it Clem. Just go to sleep."

"I understand. There are things I don't want to talk about either," Clementine whispered, giving Carley chills. Then Clementine closed her eyes saying, "I'm glad you're here."

"I'm glad you're here too." Carley said softly, suddenly feeling more protective of the little girl. Holding Clementine, she sat there for several minutes before her body determined that it needed sleep too and Carley slowly closed her eye.

* * *

He slowly became aware of the world around him but his thoughts remained trapped elsewhere in a partial dreamlike state.

Savannah.

They risked everything to reach it and to find safety, whether it was a boat, food, other survivors like them. Something just to give them some hope, anything but what they found instead was a nightmare, the graves for many in their group before even reaching the city

He wanted to forget everything. He watched so many people he cared about dying before him and being unable to do anything to prevent it. Clementine was all he had left after escaping that place. What will he do if he can't protect her? They were running out of food, water, gas and places to run to. They barely survived the winter and now there was nothing left. The dead were everywhere and any other survivors they encountered were just as bad.

If he could only go back and fix everything. If only…

Lee opened his eyes and once the haziness cleared from his vision, he found himself in a room and on a bed.

No. He had to be dreaming still.

His eyes darted to an IV hooked to his left arm. His throat felt parched as he tried to move and found his body weak as he tried to even lift his head from the pillow. He quickly gave up and tried to speak.

"Hello?" He called weakly.

Then Lee saw movement to his left and standing in the doorway staring at him was a black soldier who looked to be just over twenty. The young soldier appeared to be a little startled to see Lee awake. On his belt, he carried a sidearm.

"It's okay," The black soldier said. "You are safe."

Safe?

Lee could scarcely believe in such a thing now. He struggled to clear his throat. "I had a little girl with me…"

"Clementine? She's safe and right here." Then the soldier looked down to the foot of the bed before calling out to the sleeping forms on the chair. Lee had failed to notice yet. "Clementine! Carley!"

Lee eyes widened in confusion. Did he just say… ?

* * *

Carley woke to the sound of Saul's urgent voice. She lifted her head as her good eyelid flickered open when she felt Clementine's weight suddenly shifting on her lap as the girl leapt off.

She heard Clementine exclaiming. "LEE!"

Now fully awake Carley saw that Lee was indeed conscious. Saul was standing over him, smiling as he watched Clementine jumped on the bed, almost landing on their recovering patient.

Relieved at his recovery, Carley stood up and approached the bed, even as Clementine excitedly hugged a still partially drowsy Lee. In the back of her mind, she was curious how he would react to her.

* * *

For a moment, Lee thought it had to be a dream. He remembered walking into the woods to get some water for the radiator to their car, then slipping on that icy slope and hitting his head. Now, he was someplace else, somewhere maybe safe with Clementine here with him. It was almost too good to be true.

The little girl jumped up on his bed, hugging him, saying his name over and over in her happy sing song voice. Clementine sounded happy and looked well cared for. Almost overwhelmed, Lee returned Clementine's hugs when he saw her approaching into view and time froze.

Her hair was cut a bit shorter now and dressed in jeans and wearing a purple sweater that looked a few sizes too big on her lithe frame. However, his attention was draw to her face. Where her left eye once was is now covered with a black eye patch and along her left cheek was an ugly looking scar.

As he stared at her, all he could think was. _God! We left… I left her behind alive!_

* * *

The moment that Lee saw Carley, he looked like he saw a ghost. Then the look of shock turned to horror and grief within seconds. Carley knew what he was thinking and quickly hurried to him, kneeling down beside the bed, grabbing one of his hands.

"No, do not blame yourself Lee," She told him firmly, "I know what happened and it's not your fault."

He gripped her hand, as if to make sure she was real. He looked closed to tears. "I didn't… I didn't even bother to check you before we left."

Carley shook her head. "If you had, what would you have been able to do for me," She told him, tearing up herself. "As hard as it is to accept, leaving me there allowed Saul here with his friends to find me and bring me here to their doctor."

"She was in bad shape," Saul told him. "There would have been very little you could have done for her in your RV. Don't beat yourself up over it. She's alive, you are alive and so is this little girl here."

Carley gently squeezed his hand as Lee looked back at her for a long moment and whispered. "Still, it doesn't make it right but I'm glad to see you again."

After a moment Saul looked to Carley. "I'm going to get the doc."

Carley stood up and carefully sat on the edge of Lee's bed with Clementine. "We're not going anywhere." She replied.

"Water," Lee said, feeling his throat was still parched. "I could use some water."

Saul nodded. "I'll bring some right back."

Lee watched Saul leave and when he looked back at Carley, that's when he finally noticed that she was also carrying a gun holstered on her hip as well. Feeling it was safe to talk alone, Lee asked softly. "Where are we? Who are these people?"

"We're in this walled up fortified mansion just a few miles outside a town named Americus." Carley informed him before grinning, "as to who are these people, well they're my new friends."

Much to her relief, Lee smiled for the first time. "I guess any friends of yours are friends of my. How did you find us?"

"We were doing another fuel and food run when we came across your car. No one was there but I spotted Clem's hat in the backseat, then that's when we heard the shooting."

Lee gave a puzzled look. "Shooting?"

Clementine and Carley shared a glance when the little girl spoke. "Walkers came and you were still unconscious. I got your gun when one of them found us and I shot him."

"That's when I ran into the woods following the shots and found you two just as a horde of walkers were closing in." Carley added. "Luckily, the team I was with followed me and we had what could be described as one giant shooting gallery of life and death against two hundred walkers."

"Shit…" Lee muttered.

Clementine gave a disapproving look. "That's a swear."

"Sorry," Lee answered apologetically before asking Carley. "Was anyone hurt?"

"No," Carley answered. "After that we brought you both here."

Slowly, Carley glanced at Clementine before focusing on Lee again.

"Lee?"

"Yeah?"

Carley had to know. "What happened to Kenny and the others?"

Lee closed his eyes and slowly shook his head. "Duck was bitten back at the motel and we couldn't do anything for him."

"Oh God…" Carley gasped, still holding Lee's hand while Clementine remained perfectly still and merely listened as Lee explained.

"I don't feel like going into much detail at the moment but we eventually not only lost Duck but Katjaa too. It almost destroyed Kenny. After that we met up with some other survivors like Chuck, Christa and Omid. When we finally reached Savannah, it was nothing what we had hoped for. Within two days of getting there we lost Chuck, Kenny and Ben. I was… rescuing Clementine when I got separated from Christa and Omid. I told them I would meet them outside the city afterwards but we couldn't find them. There were so many walkers in and around Savannah by that time that we had to leave before it became our graves as well."

Lee paused and quietly looked at his left wrist where that one walker almost got him. It jumped out at him while he was picking up Clem's radio in that alleyway in Savannah. It tried to bite down on his arm but it was cold that day and he found a jacket to wear and that little extra layer of clothing he had on saved him.

He was lucky that day but sadly others were not.

"I just hope they managed to escape as well." Lee finished, praying that he was right.

"I'm so sorry Lee," Carley said. "I wish I had been there to help or something."

Lee gripped her hand a bit harder when he looked at her and said with complete conviction. "If you had been there, that city would probably have eaten you up as well."

The way he looked at her, Carley believed it.


	11. Another Day

**Chapter Eleven: Another Day**

"So," Lizzy whispered like a kid enjoying an engrossing story while sitting on the edge of her bed. "What happened next?"

"I finally got up the nerve up to ask Lee what happened to everyone else from our group." Carley replied in a hushed voice as she finished making her cot.

"What did he say?"

"Lee told me that they're all dead. " Carley could only shake her head helplessly, unable to believe that Kenny and the rest of them were truly all gone. Lee didn't give the details as to what happened to all of them and she didn't really want to know. Carley slowly sat down on her cot, feeling empty like a deflated balloon .

"I'm so sorry." Lizzy said sadly.

A couple of hand crank lanterns helped to light their room. It was night time at the Nest and except for the few night sentries guarding the walls, everyone else was now turning into bed.

"It's not your fault, Liz." Carley whispered before continuing. "Well, after that depressing bit of news we managed to talk for a while longer before Saul brought back Doctor Cottle and he asked all of us to leave so he could check Lee."

Carley glanced over at her own bed along the far wall. Curled under the blankets, Clementine slept peacefully. Carley had no problem giving her own bed to the girl so she could get a good night's sleep.

After a moment of silence, Lizzy asked. "Are you going to be okay sleeping on that cot?"

"I'll be fine." Carley answered.

"Clementine is not taking up much room on your own bed so you could sleep with her."

Carley shook her head. "No, she has been clinging a little too much to me all day. I shouldn't encourage that any further."

"Well," Lizzy looked at her bed. "It's small but you could sleep with me."

Carley thought about it but finally declined. "No, but thanks anyway and besides, you snore."

"No, I don't," Lizzy whispered defensively. "I'm sure you are exaggerating."

"If I had a tape recorder, I could prove otherwise."

Lizzy's eyes gleamed mischievously. "But that would mean you'd have to use batteries."

Carley glared back and replied in a low voice. "Don't you start on that!"

Lizzy ignored her. "Thank goodness our hand crank lanterns are all Carley proof."

"That's not fair."

"Or finding out the hard way that red is positive and black is negative on a car battery," Lizzy went on, grinning ear to ear. "Didn't Datu banish you from coming within twenty feet of the garage for a month after nearly burning it down? Or how about…"

"Okay, I won't say another word about your snoring." Carley surrendered.

After a moment of silence, Lizzy finally broke it to ask another question. "So, you and Lee, uh?"

Carley's good eye darted over to the blonde. "What about us?"

"Well, you told me you two briefly flirted before, you know, got separated and you did tell me a while ago you had a thing for men who saved your life. Are you planning to pick up where you left off?"

"I don't know," Carley said quietly. "He's still recovering from that nasty bump on the head. It's just too soon to tell and besides, we've got bigger problems, like survival."

"Yes, of course but you sound like he's no longer interested," The blonde watched as Carley looked away and grew silent when Lizzy suddenly realized the problem. "Are you worried that he might not find you attractive anymore?"

Carley looked down at the floor. "I've got a hole in my face where my left eye used to be, Liz. I can't even stand the sight of myself in the mirror without my eye-patch on. I wouldn't blame him."

"You don't know that. How did he react when he saw you?"

"Like he saw a ghost and was horrified to know that I was still alive after being left on the side of the road."

"Well, he might surprise you. Besides, didn't you tell me that some of the men here were hitting on you? You might be just too hard on yourself."

Carley quietly snorted. "Yeah, but only because the men here outnumber the women almost three to one. They're desperate."

"Don't sell yourself short." Lizzy countered. "You are still beautiful."

"Please," Carley almost laughed. "Two years ago I almost freaked out when I got a cold sore on my mouth. I was a reporter once and it was drilled into me how important appearances can be."

"Exactly what did Lee say to you?"

"Well, he said he was glad to see me." Carley answered.

Lizzy stared at her for a moment. "And?"

"And that's it."

"Well as you said, he's still recovering from a concussion and might be distracted from that halo of little birds flying around his head," Lizzy laughed slightly before glancing over to Clementine to make sure they hadn't woke her.

"I don't know." Carley muttered somberly, not in the mood to laugh. She thought it was dumb to worry about your love life in the middle of the apocalypse but sometimes a person needs more than simple survival to exist. They require companionship, friendship and even love to help them get through the next day.

"That's what you think of Lee?" An increasingly concerned Lizzy pressed. "That he cares more about your looks than just you?"

"I…" Carley hesitated. "I'm not sure I want to know the answer."

* * *

Morning came and despite Doctor Cottle's insistence that he should remain in bed for another day to fully recover, Lee didn't feel like laying around. He needed to get up and do something.

In his room, Lee stood up to get out of bed and get dress but felt slightly dizzy. Thankfully, the sensation quickly passed and he was able to dress himself without passing out on the floor. Then he sat on the edge of his bed to put on his shoes, and for once he was looking forward to facing the day more than the ones where it was just him and Clem wandering on the road in that tiny blue car.

Carley and Clementine had stopped by early this morning to check on him. Lee couldn't describe how good it was to see them both alive and safe. Clementine was excited about this place and told him about everyone she had met so far and how nice they had been to her. It was really good to see her smiling again.

However, Carley acted a little distant with him today. Even though she told him that she held nothing against him for what happened, Lee still couldn't forgive himself for leaving her behind. Why hadn't he taken a moment to check her himself? Somehow, he will find a way to make it up to Carley.

Some of the other inhabitants here also came by to visit him in the morning just to say hello. They honestly seemed to be good people as Carley assured him. It was then that Lee permitted himself to believe that this might be the place that they were seeking since fleeing the motel, a safe harbour to shelter them from all the insanity they saw on the road for months. Things that haunt you to your very soul that are impossible to forget.

It was at that moment he heard a knock on the door.

"Yes?" Lee answered.

The door opened to reveal their leader Michael. Lee saw him once before but they never spoke. He watched as the army sergeant closed the door behind himself.

"How are you feeling?" Michael asked, standing several feet from their recovering patient

"Been better but I'm alright." Lee replied as he finished tying his shoes.

"Our doctor wanted you to remain off your feet at least another day."

"He did but I can't stay still. I need to get up and do something useful."

"That I can understand," Michael said glancing around the room for a moment. "Is everything okay? Have you or Clementine had any problems?"

"None I can think of," Lee shrugged slightly before smirking. "Except I think Clementine has gotten get a little spoiled with all the attention everyone is giving her."

"Having her around gives a few of us a sense of normalcy and you can't fault them for that." Michael said, remembering his tours in Iraq with the threats of IEDs lurking seemingly along every road whenever their patrols left the safety of their bases. People, even soldiers seek needed distractions, anything to allow them to escape the cruel reality around them, even for a few minutes.

"I'm not complaining, it's seems to be helping her too." Lee replied and the two men stared at each other and that's when Lee realized that Michael wasn't there for an idle chitchat. "I take it that you came by for another reason."

"You would be right," Michael said evenly. "Carley told us a little about your history and that you're a convicted felon. Mind you, she told us after she had all but given up on ever finding you again."

Lee shook his head, glancing down at the floor before looking up again. "It's something I regret but I can't change it."

"You killed a man because you caught him having an affair with your wife. I don't care if it was an accident or not."

"What do you want to say that I haven't said a thousands times before?" Lee calmly replied in a tired voice.

Michael studied the man before him for a few more seconds. "I will be honest and tell you that you could be a potential headache I don't need right now. Only a few of us know of your secret but there are others like Chad that will use you against me if the truth gets out."

Lee should have known that this place might be too good to be true but he won't fight it. "I know the drill, but as long as Clementine can stay here under the guarantees of making Carley her soul guardian, I'll leave peacefully."

Michael wasn't surprised by Lee's willingness of being exiled just to protect the little girl. He nearly starved himself so she could eat. A very selfless act and they could definitely use more people like that here. Michael finally raised his hand up to silence him. "You're getting ahead of yourself. I have no intention of asking you to leave but what I am asking is don't make me regret in letting you stay."

"Thank you…" Lee frowned before asking. "What do I call you? Do I use your rank?""

"Just Michael will do just fine," The army sergeant said before continuing. "Let me make this clear, never tell anyone else of your past, regardless if you feel you can trust them. Luckily, the only other people that know about your secret are Saul, Riley and Burt because Carley told them but thankfully they all agree to keep that bit of information to themselves."

"I appreciate this and I won't be a problem, Michael."

"Good. Now I have a few more questions that I need to ask."

_What else does he want to know about me?_ Lee thought but he didn't have much of a choice because he's the boss here and he was allowing him to stay.

"Go ahead."

"You're about the only person outside of our group we came in contact within months that didn't end in gunfire. I would like to hear from you since you travelled all the way to the coast, what is happening out there?" Michael asked.

"It's bad," Lee replied grimly. "Really bad."

"I would appreciate some details," Michael said. "I worked in army intelligence and I need information if I'm going to effectively protect everyone here."

"Fair enough," Lee started counting off on his fingers. "There's starvation, madness, cannibalism, death, murder, blood thirsty bandits, barren cities, barren food shelves, tin pot dictators, crazy cults, and lets don't forget about the walkers. Which one do you want me to start on first?"

Instantly, Michael regretted asking the question.

* * *

After about an hour, Lee finished giving his own personal experience to Michael on areas their patrols hadn't even touched yet. It was a rather depressing wider view of the state of Georgia but Michael listened and asked a few more follow up questions before finally thanking Lee. Michael then reminded him that food was about to be served in the lounge area before leaving.

Now alone again, Lee left his room and moved downstairs that led to the large entrance hall. To his left he heard voices of people coming from the lounge area, which once looked like the living room area. It was wide and spacious enough to seat everyone with several eight foot long folding tables and chairs. From where he stood, Lee could see perhaps 30 people eating and talking to each other.

Lee noticed that all the windows on the first floor were partial boarded up. They went up about halfway before stopping, high enough that walkers couldn't reach in while at the same time letting in plenty of daylight. Stacked in the odd corner were piles of boards, a bag of nails and a couple of hammers. Probably extra insurance if they needed to seal every entry point to keep out the walkers if they should ever breech the walls and try to get into the main building.

Just outside the doorway to the lounge area was a serving table being operated by a tall pretty woman with sandy blonde hair and a large older man with a grey beard. On the table were a couple of boxes and several glasses of water. The woman smiled and the man merely nodded as Lee approached.

"Hi Lee," The woman said. "I thought the doc wanted you to stay off your feet for another day."

"Yeah but I'm doing better," Lee told a small lie, still not feeling back to full strength yet as he briefly struggled to remember their names. They briefly came by this morning to visit him. "It's Pegs and Burt, right?"

"That's correct," The old ex-marine said in gruff voice before extending his hand to Lee. "Carley will be happy to see you up on your feet."

Lee shook his hand and the old fellow had a grip like a vice but he sensed no suspicion from him since Burt was one of the few here that knew his secret. "Thanks. Quite a setup you have here."

"It is when we're not at each others throats." Burt replied.

"I hear that," Lee said in sympathy. "The group that Carley and I were in was always fighting over something."

Burt chuckled. "Yeah, when there's no one knocked out cold on the floor here, then I know we had a good day."

Lee hoped he was joking. "Uh, sure."

"You must be hungry," Pegs spoke up before reaching into an opened box and handed him a brown package about the size of a brick.

Lee took it, looking it over and read the lettering on it. _Meal Ready to Eat_.

"What is this?" He asked.

"Army food, if you can call it that." Burt answered. "What you are holding in you hand is meant to give the nutritional requirement for a soldier all day."

Lee nodded. "Thanks."

"Are you going to ask how it taste?" Pegs joked.

Lee shook his head. "When you're hungry enough to consider eating grass then army food sounds great."

Peg's smile disappeared when she realized that he was not joking. "I'm sorry, I didn't…"

"It's all right," Lee replied softly. "Thank you for the food. Now, is there a trick to eating it?"

"It comes with clear instructions," Burt started to point to the MRE package in Lee's hand. "What you need to do after opening it is…"

"Lee?" Suddenly, Carley walked out of the lounge area towards them, holding what looked like a cup of coffee in her hands. "I thought I saw you. Didn't the doctor want you to stay in bed?"

"He's like you," Burt said with a grin. "He does whatever he wants to."

"Like you're any different, Burt." Carley sarcastically replied before taking a tiny sip from her cup.

Burt cocked an eyebrow. "Trying to hurt my feelings, Rooster?"

Lee looked confused between the two as Burt and Carley teased one another "Rooster?"

"Yeah," Burt explained, gesturing to Carley. "That's her nickname here."

"But roosters are male birds." Lee commented.

"Thank you, Lee. That's what I have told them," Carley said. "But Burt has a thing for westerns and John Wayne."

"As in Rooster Cogburn?" Lee suddenly said. "I remember that movie."

Burt looked surprised. "You watched westerns? I thought I was part of a dying breed."

"No, I was a history professor," Lee confessed before explaining. "Once I had my students do a report on historical inaccuracies in period moves situated between the 18th and early 19th century America and one of them did their report on True Grit."

"Historical inaccuracies in a John Wayne movie," Burt mused aloud. "Never!"

"Okay, okay, enough about John Wayne and westerns," Carley finally interrupted before turning to Lee. "We should get some more food into you."

Pegs handed Lee a glass of water. "This is for your MRE. Carley can help you with the rest."

"Thanks," Lee replied before taking the glass. "I'll see you both later."

Burt quietly watched Carley lead Lee back into the lounge area. From his first impression, Burt got nothing but a good vibe from him. He seemed an okay guy, even risked his health to look after that little girl. All of this made it hard to believe that Lee actually beat a man to death after catching him with his wife. Then again, in the moment love and passion can make people do crazy things.

Lee should have done what Burt would have if dropped suddenly in that situation. Just grab a gun and just shoot the bastard. Then claim to the police and the judge that the weapon just went off by accident and you were just trying to scare him. That would be more believable than saying your fists just went off multiple times against his face.

* * *

Lee followed Carley into the lounge area and the first thing that struck him was the number of people here. Not since the day he crawled out of that police car had he seen this many people in one place before. Carley told him that including him and Clementine, the Nest now had thirty-four people.

Thirty-four people. That's not even enough to populate a tiny village but to Lee it was comforting that the world didn't feel barren anymore. Still with this many people, it had a way of creating its own problems as it solved.

Seated at their tables several people stopped and stared when Lee entered the room. A few people that came and visited him that morning smiled and waved. A couple gave polite nods or curious glances but Lee also received one or two hostile stares. The nasty looks didn't surprise Lee. He was new and from experience an extra mouth to feed always meant less food for everyone else.

Finally, Carley led him to a far table and a welcoming sight as a small figure racd straight towards him.

"LEE!"

He dropped down to one knee as the little girl ran up to him and the two quickly embraced. "Clementine! How are you doing sweet-pea?"

"Great!" Clementine cheerfully said as she pulled back, before taking him by the hand. "Come and meet my new friends."

Smiling and feeling a bit better and now seeing her doing so well, Lee stood back up as Clementine led him back to her table where Carley was waiting with its two other occupants. One which he quickly recognized.

"Saul, nice to see you."

The US army soldier stoodup from his chair and greeted him with an outstretched hand. "Great to see you up, Lee but didn't the doc wanted you to rest?"

Lee laughed slightly as the two men shook hands. He had been getting that line all morning. "Yeah, but I get bored easily."

"Well, have a seat and after you eat we'll show you the place," Saul said before gesturing to a pretty blonde sitting on the opposite side of the table with Carley. "I would like to introduce you to Elizabeth Fabre."

She stood up and shook Lee's hand as well. "Just call me Lizzy or Liz."

"Pleased to meet you, Lizzy." Lee smiled warmly.

With the greetings out of the way, Carley and Lizzy sat down on side of the table, while Saul and Lee took their seats on the other. Clementine climbed up into a chair close to Lee and listened as the adults talked.

"I'm glad to finally meet you in person, Lee." Lizzy said. "Carley told us a lot about you and Clementine."

Even thought she barely showed it, Carley was intensely nervous. Months before she told a few people about Lee's real past, like Saul. After rescuing Lee and Clementine and knowing the truth, Saul convinced Carley that they had to tell Michael so he wouldn't get sideswiped by any surprises if someone here should recognize Lee. After breaking the news to Michael, he was definitely not happy to hear this, especially after locking horns with Chad who wanted to kick Lee out. Regardless of all of his good deeds, Lee was still a convicted murderer and in the minds of many people, that was still a pretty big deal.

For a moment, Carley thought she would have to beg Michael not to throw Lee out but ultimately, the army sergeant decided to have a private talk with Lee before doing anything.

That was over an hour ago, Carley had no idea what had happened when Michael visited him that morning but considering Lee was not under armed guard or anything, then the meeting must have went well. Still, Lee's past would be a potential land mine land if the wrong person should ever discover it.

The situation felt like the motor inn all over again, worrying that someone would find out the truth about Lee's past.

"It's good to be here," Lee answered, snapping Carley out of her deep thoughts. She was sitting across from him, holding her cup of coffee on the table between her nervous hands. He must have known what she was thinking because Lee slowly reached over and gently took one of her hands into his.

"And to be welcomed." He added.

He looked at Carley and gave a slight nod as if to say, everything is okay, don't worry. Carley smiled and squeezed his hand in return.

Lizzy watched and took the gesture as a sign of affection. "Maybe you two would like to be alone and catch up."

"Huh?" Both Lee and Carley almost said in unison before releasing each other's hands.

"It's okay, we're just about done eating anyway," Lizzy said before looking to Saul. "We should go. Hey Clementine, do you want to go outside and see where our new garden is going?"

"You guys don't have to go." Carley said in surprise.

Lizzy was already on her feet, moving. "We'll be gone just for an hour and we'll be back to talk to Lee later and show him the place. You two enjoy yourselves."

"Is it okay if I see the garden?" Clementine said to Lee.

"Uh," Lee said hesitantly before looking to Saul who was rising up from his chair. "Is it safe to go outside?"

"Don't worry," The soldier said. "We're not leaving the grounds and this place is completely surrounded by an eight foot high brick wall that's over a foot thick."

Lee glanced at Saul's sidearm holstered on his belt and honestly felt comfortable letting Clementine go with them. These people did a good job looking after Carley and after all and she trusted them and most of all Lee trusted Carley completely.

He finally turned to Clementine, saying. "Stay with Saul and Lizzy and do what they say, okay?"

The little girl nodded. "I will."

Clementine then gave Lee a quick hug. "I'm glad you are feeling better."

Lee returned it happily. "Me too, sweet-pea. Now, go with Saul and Lizzy and enjoy yourself."

"Thank you." Clementine replied before giving Carley a wave good-bye and walked off with Saul and Lizzy.

Watching them leave, Carley finally said with a humorous tone. "Well, alone at last," She then reached for Lee's MRE laying on the table and checked its label. "Let's see what you've got here, Chicken Breast. Hmmmmm, this one actually sounds good."

Lee was still looking over his shoulder, watching Clementine leaving and felt better seeing Lizzy reach down to take the little girl by the hand as Saul moved up front to lead them.

To Lee, the basic lesson for survival in groups is the ones most capable or better armed leads to protect the rest. Even though this place might be secure, Lee also learnt to practice being constantly on guard for anything because no place was safe, only safer. When Saul, Lizzy and Clementine walked out of the room and out of sight, only then Lee turned back to face Carley as she continued explaining about eating an MRE.

"When opening your MRE, you just cut the top open so you can use the bag later to put any leftovers back in it." Lee watched her reach for a leather sheath on her belt, pulling out a knife. Lee heard a click and a three inch razor sharp blade immediately sprang forth to his surprise. Carley had a switch blade knife.

She quickly cut the top to the MRE open and upended it, allowing the contents to spill over the table between them. Lee was amazed to see the amount that these MRE packages held.

After taking another sip of her coffee, Carley pointed out the plastic wrap items the MRE contained to Lee.

"Here's the main course, Chicken breast… or something close to meat," Carley shrugged. "It'll keep you alive and that's the point. Over here is wheat snack bread, pineapple pound cake, pretzels, peanut butter and your MRE heater to warm the main meal and making coffee. I'll show you the dos and don'ts, like not using it indoors because of the fumes it gives off. Hmmmm, here is the all important spoon so you can eat your meal properly. This clear package holds your moist towelette, matches, sugar and Tabasco sauce."

"Tabasco sauce?" Lee questioned.

"For flavour," Carley answered. "Saw dust has more taste to it than MRE food." Then she looked over the remaining items. "What's left… package of peanut butter, powdered orange juice, coffee, coffee cream and for some reason, chewing gum."

Lee nodded. "Now I see where you got your coffee from."

Carley held up the tiny package of Taster's Choice from Lee's MRE. "I save theses until I have about four because this little pack alone barely gives you a quarter of a cup."

"You want it?"

Lee watched as Carley hesitated before shaking her head and putting the coffee package down. "No, it's yours."

Lee picked it back up and tried handing it to her. "I know how much you miss having coffee and to be honest, I wasn't much of a coffee drinker. I'd rather have a tall glass of orange juice in the morning."

Carley eyed the tiny package of coffee in Lee's offering hand before taking it. "You can have my ration of orange juice, deal?"

"Deal." Lee agreed and he watched her excitedly slip the small package of coffee in her pocket. He enjoyed seeing Carley's radiated smile and that his small gesture made her so cheerful but then his attention fell to her eye patch and his moment of feeling happiness vanished quickly. Carley's wound was a painful reminder.

"I'm so sorry." He uttered.

Carley looked at him, confused. "For what?"

"Leaving you behind." He replied sadly.

Carley froze for a second. "Don't," She finally said firmly. "Don't do this to yourself Lee."

"You were my friend," Lee's voice was low, filled with anger, anger aimed at himself. "More than my friend and I left you. It's doesn't matter if leaving you there actually saved you but what bothers me the most was that I didn't even bother checking you."

"Ben made the mistake of declaring me dead and didn't Kenny physically drag you back onto the RV because of approaching walkers?"

"How do you know that?" Lee said in surprise. "I thought you told me that you couldn't remember that night?"

Carley didn't want to mention it, at least not right now, especially when it involved her but it was an honest question. She drew in a breath and explained. "Months ago I was helping on a food and fuel patrol run when we received a distress call from an Atlanta News copter. It went down outside of some town called Woodbury. When we got there, we quickly located the wreck except we couldn't find any survivors but we did eventually encounter survivors from the town and guess who was with them?"

"Lilly." Lee answered. He shouldn't have been surprised that she survived. Even abandoned in the middle of nowhere and at night Lilly found a way to beat the odds.

Carley nodded. "Burt and Michael met her and a few of the Woodbury people and they recognized her name when both sides introduced themselves. However, Burt quickly noticed how strange she started to act when they explained how they knew her last name and that I was there with them."

"Carley," Lee interrupted her. "If you know what happened that night then you already know that after she shot you, we left her behind." He didn't like what he had done to Lilly but he was so angry when she shot Carley and he wasn't about to risk letting her become a threat to the rest of them.

"Yes, I know because she confessed everything to me and I think she was honestly sorry for what happened."

"What did you do?"

Carley looked completely frank. "I forgave her before blowing her brains out."

Lee's jaw dropped in shock.

Carley laughed at the reaction she got from Lee. "No, I didn't shoot her but part of me still wished that I had... bitch."

Lee sighed in relief. "I'm glad you didn't."

"Because killing someone who tried to kill you in cold blood is bad?"

"Yes, there's that," Lee replied. "But you would have regretted it. You have to put it behind you."

She pointed to her face. "How can I forget it when this is staring back at me every time I look into a mirror? She should be in prison or better yet, a prison surrounded by hungry walkers trying to break in."

"You don't mean that." Lee pleaded.

"I do mean it."

"You're better than this, Carley. You're the one that I go to and get pointed in the right direction."

"Lately, I don't even know which direction I'm pointed at," Carley said with a frustrated frown. "I would like to go back in time when everything was a bit easier but this is our future. I can't believe I miss that damn motor inn some days, back when I didn't know how bad the rest of the world was."

Lee didn't say anything. He just sadly stared at her, maybe trying to find the magically words to make her feel better. Carley hated feeling this angry and what Lilly did to her face.

Slowly, Carley looked down at her nearly emptied cup of coffee resting on the table and between her hands. The silence between them became deafening until Lee reached across the table and gently took her hand in his.

"I have been thinking about you." He whispered with the softness of a lover.

Carley lifted her eye towards him. The words were a step back in time to a happier period they shared together and she surrendered herself to the moment. "I have been thinking about you too."

Lee's smile grew as she responded. "Our group has gotten bigger."

His smile was infectious and Carley returned it. "I'm still small."

"No, you are not," Lee corrected. "You and Clementine are the world to me."

At that moment, even if for a brief period, everything became just a little brighter for Carley.


	12. The Horde

**Chapter 12: The Horde**

In such a long time, Clementine actually dared to let herself feel happy and safe. When she was on the road with Lee, after escaping Savannah, they could only spend a few days at one place before they had to move on, whether it was because of walkers, lack of food or other people. Clementine learned long ago that other survivors could be far more dangerous than any walker but not all of them were bad. A few actually tried to help but Lee was always leery of them, never staying long.

Surviving through winter was hard but by working together they scraped enough food to make it. They even located a working car with enough gas in it to get them mobile again. They were a team and for a while, she believed they could get through anything. Then the car broke down but Lee fixed it and he just needed to get some water for the radiator. Clementine remembered hearing the stream nearby and they both went into the woods to get some water. They always stayed together.

They came to a snow covered slope and the stream was right there. Lee tried to walk down the hill but he slipped and she helplessly watched him take a hard fall and he stopped moving. She tried to wake him, almost screaming before remembering not to make any noise. Walkers were attracted to loud noises.

Clementine then tried to drag him back to the car but he was too heavy so she stayed by his side, waiting and hoping for him to wake up. Night came and it got colder so she ran to the car and grabbed some blankets. There she huddled against him under the blankets for two days, unable to sleep and jumping to every sound in the dark. She tried to be brave and to be quiet. No sound. They like noises.

On the morning of the second day, several walkers approached. Clementine remained still under the blankets hoping they would walk by but one stopped and turned towards them. It made a sound, a low grunting sound that one gives when it smells new prey. With little choice and using Lee's gun she stood up from under the blankets and shot it.

The gunshot attracted the other walkers but Clementine didn't leave Lee's side. She was determined to protect him like he did many times for her. By then, she saw how many walkers she was facing as they drew closer, far more than the few bullets she had remaining in the gun. She was scared, hands trembling but she held her ground and fired again, careful to make each shot count. Clementine didn't know what else to do, she had to protect Lee and she couldn't leave him. She couldn't because she knew he would never abandon her.

She fired again and again until her gun emptied. There were so many walkers coming towards her that Clementine froze in fear. She didn't know what to do. Clementine couldn't leave Lee. She couldn't and she wouldn't. They came closer and she started to cry when she heard someone shouting from behind.

"Clementine! Get down!"

Carley rushed by her, pushing her down next to Lee. Clementine was startled to see her, she remembered Lilly shooting Carley and seeing her lying in a small pool of blood. Now she was back like she remembered except for a patch over her left eye, like a pirate and carrying a large rifle.

Carley placed herself between them and the walkers and started shooting. Clementine wanted desperately for Carley to make the monsters go away but there were so many that they would easily overwhelm her. Suddenly, three others appeared joining Carley with their weapons ready, two men and a woman. Two of the men were dressed like soldiers and together they stopped the walkers in a massive display of gunfire. Before Clementine could even think of it, Carley and her three friends rescued them, taking them somewhere else. Somewhere hopefully safe.

That was nearly a month ago. It was hard for Clementine not to look back at that day, like a distant nightmare she finally woke up from. She liked this place, it had lots of people and many of them were nice. She really liked Lizzy and Saul who immediately befriended her when Lee was still hurt.

Right now, she was out back in the Nest's compound helping Pegs preparing to plant her new garden. Pegs was smart and knew a lot about plants. She was even teaching her and several others what she knew about taking care and planting crops in case something should happen to her. Clementine didn't like hearing that, Pegs was her friend too and wanted nothing to happen to her. She even liked their leader Michael, who protected Lee from Chad. However, Clementine didn't like Chad very much and she felt Chad didn't really like anyone here.

One of the best things that Clementine saw was that Lee seemed a lot happier being here as well. Clementine could see a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders because there were others shouldering more of the burden too. She really liked seeing Lee and Carley together because it made them both happier. Now, Clementine wasn't so worried about something happening to Lee being here with Carley and the others now. They were all stronger being together.

* * *

Lee was out front in the garage area helping Saul getting the Ford Escape ready for another food and fuel run when he looked up seeing a familiar figure approaching. He smiled warmly, calling out.

"Rooster! Coming to see us off?"

Carley had on her carrying vest and her assault rifle sling across her back as she stopped just a few feet in front of Lee. Carley still disliked her nickname but in the end it was far better than being called something like Cyclops or even Scratch, but still, she could have some fun too.

"In a way, _Condor_." Carley grinned, using Lee's new bird nickname.

"Hey, I have no problem with my nickname," Lee joked. "Condors are a big and proud bird."

"You forgot ugly."

"Didn't say they were perfect." Lee winked.

Carley smiled again, enjoying the back and forth teasing between them. "I talked to Paul and he has agreed to let me take his place on this patrol."

Lee looked surprised. "You're coming with us?"

"Yes," Carley noted his reaction with a frown. "Is that a problem?"

"No," Lee replied as she gave him a disapproving look. "I would love to have you come with us but I would prefer one of us staying behind for Clementine's sake."

"Why? Besides that asshole Chad, she has nothing to fear from anyone here."

"I believe that too but what if something were to happen and both of us didn't came back?"

Carley knew where he was going with this and had to agree. "Okay but maybe you should wait another week and get back to full strength before going out there. There's plenty of stuff to do around here."

"Maybe, but Saul said they were doing a run to the east, giving us a chance to swing around to our car along the way which still had a little food and fuel left in it with a few personal items," Lee explained. "If no one has found it and broken into it yet."

Carley stepped closer, poking her finger into his chest. "Just been careful and I mean it."

"Yes, ma'am," Lee smiled when his nose inhaled a wonderful scent. He leaned in closer and sniffed again. "You washed your hair?"

Carley give a sly feline grin. "What about it? Can't a girl use some of her water rations to keep clean?"

"I appreciate it."

Carley glanced at him with a growing smirk. "I didn't do it just for you."

"You can do whatever you like," Lee moved closer till their bodies were almost touching, his voice soft. "I hope you don't mind me saying it out loud, I appreciate it when you merely walk into view."

"Glad to hear that," Carley almost purred. "Flatter."

Lee smiled. "Just being truthful."

Carley stared up at him and she had a million flirty responses racing through her mind. For a while, she had briefly thought Lee's interest in her was just the guilt he felt about leaving her accidentally behind but the love and desire she saw in his eyes could not be faked. He didn't care about the injuries to her face which only made him even more attractive to Carley.

She stood up on her toes because of the height difference between them. Carley then placed both of her hands on his shoulders, saying. "Maybe I should reward you."

"No rewards are needed. I just need you."

Lee gave her a playful look and Carley felt his arms wrapping around her waist. "Well, you are in luck." She said.

Lee leaned down to kiss her as Carley's lips parted slightly in anticipation.

"Hey, Lee? Where are…" Saul walked around the Escape carrying his med kit and stopped when he saw them in mid kiss. "Oh, sorry."

Lee glanced at him, slightly disappointed at the interruption but they had work to get done. "It's okay Saul, I should be helping you…"

Lee then felt Carley's hands gripping both sides of his face before being pulled down to her waiting lips. Upon feeling her mouth against his, all thoughts and resistance faded. Oblivious to everything except her, Lee hungrily return the kiss, his right hand moving up from Carley's waist to the back of her head, burying his fingers through her hair.

Saul just stared in disbelief at the unrestrained show of intimacy before tossing the med-kit in the back of the Escape and jabbed his thumb back to the garage. "I'll be back in a couple minutes," Seeing the intensity of their kissing, Saul added quietly. "Probably with some lumber to build a room around you two."

He took two steps back to the garage when he heard a distant rumble, like thunder. It was loud enough to get even Lee and Carley's attention.

Out back, everyone that was outside heard it and came to a stop. Carrying a large bag of seeds, Pegs carefully put it down and listened. It did sound like a distant thunderclap but the sky was clear of any dark clouds. She glanced behind to Clementine who stood nervously nearby.

"What was that?" The little girl asked the grown woman.

"I don't know but stay here." Pegs said before moving to one of the several wooden platforms built all around the inside walls of the mansion grounds. They each were four feet high, three feet wide and eight feet long. She climbed the steps and looked over the top of the wall. All she saw was the distant rolling hills, trees and the few nearby abandoned houses.

Pegs then looked up to the top of the mansion to the bird house, basically a small watch tower built on the peek of the roof. It had a clear 360 view of everything around them with enough space for two people to man it, as long as you don't have a fear of heights climbing the ladder to reach it.

Kelly was taking her shift up in the bird house when she also heard the thunderous sound off in the distance. Lifting her binoculars to her eyes, she scanned the horizon but even from her high perch couldn't see anything out of the ordinary besides a few lone walkers.

By now Michael, Burt and Angel along with several others exited the mansion also drawn by the noise that they heard even inside the building.

"What going on?" Michael called up to Kelly in the bird house.

"Don't know," Kelly shouted down. "It sounded like thunder."

"Thunder my ass," Burt muttered under his breath to Michael. "That was an explosion."

Michael was in complete agreement. From his tours in Iraq and those damned IEDs made him an expert in explosions. He turned to Angel. "Grab your rifle and get up there with Kelly."

"I'm on it." Angel said before hurrying off as more people showed up to see what was happening.

Walking around the mansion from the garage area came Saul, Lee and Carley.

"Clementine?" Lee called, looking left and right.

Through the crowd, Clementine waved to him from across the backyard next to Pegs. "I'm here, Lee."

Seeing her safe, Lee followed Saul and Carley as they approached Michael and Burt. Upon reaching them, Saul whispered to the two men. "That was TNT going off."

"We're way ahead of you." The ex-marine said.

"What is the plan?" Carley asked.

"I sent Angel up to the bird house to be an extra pair of eyes for Kelly." Michael replied.

"Should we go to lock down?" Burt suggested.

Before Michael could decide, they all heard a second thunderous blast in the distance, but this sounded closer. By now, people were muttering nervously and the army sergeant shouted up to Kelly.

"Do you see anything?"

"Nothing!" Kelly yelled back down as she continued to scan the horizon.

Michael looked to Burt. "Yes, we're locking this place down." Then he shouted to everyone around him. "Listen up everyone. Fighters take your assigned positions on the wall. Everyone else, head back inside."

"I'll get ready to breakout the rest of the weapons if we need them." Burt said and Michael only nodded his reply as the ex-marine hurried off.

People started moving, many hurrying inside while everyone armed moved onto wooden platforms lining the inside walls and stood guard looking over it. Lee saw Pegs ushering Clementine back into the building. He walked next to her, saying to the woman. "Keep her safe."

From behind, he heard Michael's voice. "You have to go inside too Lee."

Surprised, he turned to face him but the sergeant looked serious.

"I've fought before and I'm a good shot," Lee countered. He saw Carley approaching, the smaller woman cradling her rifle in her hands. Anyone allowed to carry a weapon was a fighter. "Tell him, Carley."

The former reporter looked between their leader who she had much respect for and the man she loved dearly. She didn't like being put on the spot but she answered honestly. "We could use him on the walls, Michael."

"No doubt but I could use you inside." Michael said to lee.

"What good will I be inside?" Lee questioned.

Michael leaned in closer, keeping his voice low. "I need you to help Burt inside the mansion and be his second in command. I need people I can trust to look out for the rest of us."

With emphasize, Michael gestured to Clementine and Pegs and Lee understood. "I'll keep them safe." He promised.

"Be careful, Michael." Pegs said urgently to the army sergeant, touching his hand.

"Hopefully this is nothing but a false alarm." Michael replied, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "Now, help get everyone inside."

Lee quickly took his possible last opportunity to say his good bye to Carley. "Be safe. I can't lose you again."

Carley gave a small smile and her hand gently caressed the side of his face. "I could say the same to you."

Within three minutes, the entire compound was secured and sections of the wall were manned and guarded. Up in the bird house, Angel and Kelly watched the horizon with their binoculars. Down on the ground, Michael, Saul, Carley, Riley and four other fighters rounded out their outer defence.

Michael scanned the landscape from his spot behind the wall before speaking into his radio. "This is Broke Wing, all fighters report."

"Toucan here. North and west sectors clear."

"Vulture here. South and East sectors clear."

"Penguin here. Wall section one clear."

"Rooster here. Wall section two clear."

"l'oiseau here. Wall section three clear."

After everyone reported in, Michael looked to the setting sun and within an hour, darkness would settle in and protecting this place from possible bandit incursion would get harder. They still had two night vision goggles but the batteries to them were old and only one could hold a decent charge.

Suddenly he heard Angel's voice urgently calling over the radio. "Toucan here. I got movement to the north, two miles out. Walkers."

Walkers were no surprise to Michael. There always a bunch crossing through this area weekly. "How many?"

"Hard to tell," Angel answered. "They're just exiting the tree line to the north. Even with no leaves on the branches yet, the thick brush still made it hard to…"

There was a long pause that immediately worried Michael. "Toucan. Report."

After a moment, Michael heard Angel cursing under his breath. "Oh, shit. We have a problem."

"What is it Toucan?" Michael demanded in the radio before glancing up to the bird house. "What do you see?"

"Lots of walkers." Angel uttered, his voice filled with disbelief.

"Do we have a herd coming our way?" Michael asked.

"No," Angel replied in dread. "It's looks more like a horde and they're definitely heading our way."

Like a slow moving tsunami, crushing or devouring everything before it, thousands of walkers poured out of the woods to the north. With no real thought or direction and nearly a mile wide, they were all moving south with the Nest squarely in their path.

* * *

The Nest was a scene of what could only be described as controlled chaos. Michael left Angel and Kelly in the bird nest to maintain a lookout while leaving Carley, Riley and two other fighters to guard the walls. Everyone else was put to work to get their defences ready for the oncoming mass of walkers.

When they first moved into the mansion months before, Burt immediately turned the mansion's panic room into their armoury. It was built like a vault, with a combination lock, perfect for keeping their weapons secured and safe. With the walkers approaching, he broke it open and started to handout weapons and ammunition to everyone, for all the good it would do. If Angel was right about the size of the horde that was heading for them, everyone might as well save the very last bullet for themselves.

Burt was in the middle of handing out a pump action shotgun to the next person in line when he locked eyes with Chad. He was looking perfectly smug that he was finally getting a weapon. For Burt, Chad was the last person he would trust to guard his back in a fight. Shit, he would rather have Clementine covering his back in a dark alley armed only with a Nerf baseball bat than have Chad even armed with a gun.

With no words said, Burt gave him the shotgun and a box of ammo for it.

* * *

Outside, several people were busy trying to reinforce the walls surrounding the mansion. Lee was with Datu, helping him lay eight foot long two by fours to shore it up. About every ten feet along the wall and roughly six feet from it, Lee would use the shovel he was carrying to dig a small hole and Datu would place one end of the two by four into it before propping the other end against the brick wall.

Datu would prefer to use stakes to secure the boards to the ground but they didn't have time and using a hammer and the noise it would make was not a good idea with the walkers closing in.

Hurrying along, Lee had no idea if this would help. Just getting a few hundred walkers just pressing against any section of the brick wall would be enough to bring it down. Placing a bunch of two by fours against the wall won't make much of a difference but still, they had to do something.

Behind them, Lee heard an engine starting and he briefly turned to see Saul driving the humvee out of the garage and wheeling it up to the gate entrance until its front bumper was up against the metal bars. Saul turned the army vehicle as one giant doorstop.

* * *

Inside, Michael was helping and directing people on the first floor, having them boarding up windows, securing doors and moving supplies up to the second floor. Nearby the stairway leading up to the second floor was several chainsaws and axes. If the worse should happen, the stairs would be destroyed keeping the walkers from reaching the second level. Hopefully it wouldn't come to that.

Glancing to his left, Michael spotted Pegs carrying a box up to the second floor and right behind her was Clementine helping out by carrying several MREs in her arms.

Michael pressed the speak button to his radio. "Toucan, report."

"Toucan here. Still no change, walkers are on course and one mile out now. I have better view of the entire group and estimate the walker numbers to be at 10,000 plus."

_10,000?_

"Keep me posted." Michael replied, astonished at the city's worth of undead aimed straight at them. The walkers could just pass them without any problem but if that oversize herd should focus its attention on this place for any reason, it would be the end of them.

Michael wasn't sure what to do. Maybe if he had two hundred trained sharpshooters and crates of ammunition he could hold them off. Michael realized abandoning the Nest was not an option either. They don't have the vehicles nor the fuel to make any meaningful escape possible. Even if they did, where would they go?

"Michael!"

The army sergeant turned to see Burt approaching.

"I finished arming everyone and moving the remaining guns and ammo upstairs." The ex-marine said.

"Good work. I have people reinforcing the walls, boarding up the windows and moving everyone and everything we need upstairs as well."

"You realize this is no accident," Burt said. "Someone set off those explosions to draw those walkers here."

"I know."

"Why can't we do the same?" Burt suggested. "We got grenades, claymores and we even have some fireworks that we hadn't pulled apart yet for the gunpowder."

"You realize the ones who did this will probably be watching us and who wants to go outside with 10,000 walkers coming?"

"You're looking at him," Burt pointed his thumb at himself. "I'll go."

Michael was surprised. "That's not like you Burt." He said.

"Hey, I just don't like volunteering for stupid plans."

"What's the difference now?"

"It's my stupid plan."

* * *

Chad was watching from the second floor window and to the north he could now clearly make out the army of walkers coming towards them and below he watched everyone's feeble efforts to reinforce the mansion walls with boards propped up against them.

He and his group were alone for the moment in this corner of the mansion as Chad turned to them saying.

"We need to get out of here while we can."

"Can't we just take the place, we have weapons now." A man said "That has been the plan."

"No," Chad shook his head. "There are only nine of us and gunfire will only bring the walkers down on us all. They're moving the food upstairs, I say we go and continue to help but instead we'll carry out as much as we can to the garage and steal two or three vehicles there. We might succeed in the confusion."

"But the gate is now blocked by the hummer." A nervous woman said.

"The humvee is military, it doesn't require keys. It just uses an on/off switch to get it started," Chad explained. "It won't be a problem."

"I know where they keep the keys to the other vehicles and they were loading up the Escape for today's patrol so it'll be gased up." Another man added.

"Good," Chad pointed to him. "Go to the garage and get another vehicle ready, the rest of us will grab as much as we can and meet you there."

"What if we're discovered?" Another asked.

Chad thought about it and instantly had the perfect solution. "Don't worry, I'll get some insurance."

* * *

In the dimming light of the setting sun, Carley continued to stand guard at the north wall watching as the walkers continued their steady march. They were under a mile out now and she could honestly start to hear their constant moans from here. There were so many of them, like ants except human size.

"Carley?"

She turned and saw Lee approaching before giving him a weak smile. "Hey Lee."

He stopped short of her, glancing up as Carley looked back down from the raised platform she stood on. "Are they still coming?"

Carley lifted her hand for silence, telling him. "Listen."

Lee paused when he heard them, the faint eerie echoes of thousands hollow grunts and bone chilling mourns being carried over the winds. The last time he heard anything like that was on the train to Savannah with thousands of walkers on their heels.

"I take it the view up there is no better?

"Scary and depressing is more like it," Carley answered. "Are you and Datu done?"

"Everyone just finished reinforcing the walls. Datu and the others headed back inside."

"Maybe you should head inside too." Carley suggested.

Lee shook his head. "I'd rather stay and keep you company."

Her heart raced slightly. He was worried about her. "What about Clem?" Carley had to say. "You should be with her."

"She's inside with Pegs and safe for the time being." Lee said feeling conflicted, in unable to be at both places at once. "I'll go inside soon once I know you're okay."

"Do you have a weapon?" Carley asked.

Lee pulled out a small glock from his coat pocket.

"A Burt special." Lee smirked before stepping up onto the platform with Carley and looked over the wall getting a good view of the oncoming walkers. His eyes widen at the sheer numbers facing them and getting closer with every step.  
_  
Yeah, just like on that train to Savannah._Lee thought.

"Unsettling, isn't it." Carley asked as Lee stood close next to her.

"Yeah," He muttered in reply. "Quite."

They stood there for a moment longer until Lee asked. "Carley, whatever happens, stay close to me and Clementine."

Carley glanced at him, giving him a thin smile. "Still want to be my knight in shinning armor to the end?"

Lee paused before laughing to himself. "Hell no, I was hoping you might save us."

Lee was rewarded with a laugh from Carley before she delivered a playful punch to his arm. He enjoyed making her laugh, seeing her smile. Lee then wrapped his arms around her and the two embraced. Lee kissed the top of her head, inhaling her scent.

"We'll get through this because I'm not going to lose you again." He whispered to her and Carley wanted to believe it.

* * *

"Thank you for lending a hand ," Pegs said to the little girl walking beside her on the first floor of the mansion. "You are a great help, Clem."

"You're welcome." Clementine replied politely but Pegs saw that she looked distracted and worried.

"You're concerned about Lee and Carley?" Pegs asked.

Clementine nodded.

"Well, considering we don't hear any gunfire means they're safe." Pegs told her but that didn't really comfort her. "Tell you what, after this we'll go and find them."

That offer quickly brightened Clementine's mood. "Promise?"

"I promise." Pegs answered before pointed to a storage room. "Let's check in here."

Entering the room, Pegs sighed at the sight shelves still full of useful items. "Figures," Pegs muttered. "Everyone is so worried about food, guns and medicine that no one thinks about the more basic things to survival like staying warm."

Pegs started grabbing piles of blankets before directing her little helper. "Clem, could you check over there and see if they're any more hand crank lanterns?"

"Where?" Clementine said, looking behind some boxes before spotting them on a bottom shelf along the wall. "I see them."

"Good," Pegs said. "Just…"

When Clementine bent down to grab them, suddenly she heard Chad's voice as he entered the room. It sounded like he was in a hurry. "Pegs, did you hear? Burt had a heart attack!"

Pegs sounded in shock. "What?"

Clementine was instantly worried too. Burt was kind and nice to her and Lee. She started to stand up and across the room she saw Chad standing close to Pegs. Chad didn't even know Clementine was there. She was just out of view, situated behind some boxes.

"Doctor Cottle is looking at him right now but it doesn't look good," Chad explained. "This has shaken Michael up, I think he needs you."

Pegs was still stunned. "I don't believe this…" She turned to put the blankets down on a nearby box and presenting her back to him, showing the pistol Pegs was carrying in her back waistband.

Chad had his shotgun slung over his shoulder and in one quick motion he pulled Peg's gun before spinning her around to face him.

"Chad?"

"Shut up!" He jammed Pegs own pistol into her face. "I'm glad you overcame you revulsion to guns. This makes everything easier than using my shotgun."

Clementine covered her mouth to avoid making any sound as she ducked down out of sight.

"What do you want?" Pegs whispered nervously.

"Just keep calm. I just need you for a few minutes," Chad said. "After that you're free to go."

"I don't understand." Pegs muttered.

"You're my insurance against Michael from stopping us. We're leaving this sinking ship. Now, move!"

Clementine listened as Chad shoved Pegs out of the room. She waited a few more seconds to make sure they were gone before she even dared to move. She looked over the boxes and saw that she was indeed alone in the storage room now. Clementine then walked to the door and checked careful out into the emptied hallway. She knew she would find help on the second floor and Clementine ran with all due haste to save Pegs.

* * *

"Walkers are 2000 feet out and still closing," Angel reported to Michael over the radio. "I can really hear them now. God, they're making a lot of noise. I think they're hungry."

"Thanks, Toucan," Michael said before speaking into the radio again ordering. "Everyone, this is Broken Wing. All fighters clear the walls and maintain silence."

Burt was still standing next to Michael debating their next move if any. "If we're going to do anything, it has to be now."

"You're going to be on your own and cut off until those walkers move on even if everything goes to plan." Michael told him.

"I don't mind being on my own. I'm the lone wolf type, remember?" Burt chuckled. "I'll bring a good book to pass the time."

"I can't figure you out sometimes," Michael said before looking around and spotted Saul helping several people carrying the last of the supplies up from the first floor. "Saul! Do you know where the remaining fireworks have been stored?"

The black soldier approached them, thinking. "The last box was stored in the garage area, why?"

"Burt here is going to lure the walkers away with them." Michael said.

"You're going out there with 10,000 walkers?" Saul exclaimed in surprise. "That might be a one way trip."

"Well, I was hoping to have the humvee to increase my chances in coming back." Burt replied.

"That's no problem and we can just use another vehicle to help block the gate," Saul said. "Got a driver?"

Now it was Burt's turn to look surprised. "You're volunteering?"

"Yeah, I'll be pissed if my humvee doesn't come back." Saul joked.

Before anyone could say another word, Clementine came running up the stairs and towards them yelling. "Michael! Michael!"

The little girl looked close to panicking and that worried Michael and where was Pegs? She was supposed to be watching her. He took a few steps to meet her before kneeling down but she was moving so fast that he raised his hands out of pure reflex to make she didn't accidentally run into him.

When Michael caught her by the shoulders with his hands, Clementine immediately blurted out. "Chad took Pegs!"

For a moment, Michael refused to believe what he just heard. "What?"

"He took her," Clementine said again, a little calmer this time. "He said they were leaving."

"That slimmy fucker!" Burt grumbled angrily while reaching for his radio. "I'll alert Angel and our fighters."

"No radios!" Michael said, his voice carrying a hard edge to it.

Clementine remembered looking into Michael's eyes and briefly saw anger, a rage like she also saw in Lee's eyes when one of the brothers at St. John's farm grabbed her. Then, just as quickly, it disappeared behind a wall of control.

Michael hands gently dropped from Clementine's shoulders as he stood up. "If Chad has half a brain, he'll have someone monitoring the radio channels."

"There is only one way out and with thousands of walkers coming at us, they won't be leaving on foot." Saul said.

"Then we better hurry if we're going to stop them." Burt urged, already moving to the stairs.

"Sweet-heart," Michael looked down at Clementine, saying softly. "Go with Saul."

"Wait, you will need me." The black soldier protested.

"Just look after her," The army sergeant ordered pointing to the little girl. "If this goes to hell, I would rather see her sticking by you."

Michael didn't wait for a reply as he and Burt hurried down the stairs to make their way outside to the garage area. The ex-marine had Shirley drawn and ready while Michael had his finger on the safety to his M4 rifle, prepared to switch it off as soon as they stepped outside through the main doors to the mansion. Once outside, the garage area would be less than two hundred feet away and there they would find Chad's group who were no doubt using Pegs as a hostage.

Michael had many scenarios running through his mind and nearly all of them personally involved him shooting Chad. One bullet through his heart and another to his head, only after he finishes turning into a walker. However, his main concern was to save Pegs and letting nothing happen to her.

**Next Chapter: Desperate Measures**


	13. Desperate Measures

**Chapter 13: Desperate Measures**

Lizzy was helping Doctor Cottle get situated in his (hopefully) temporary new medical facility on the second floor. No telling how soon someone here might require medical attention and it'll be no good if the doctor can't find what he needs.

Suddenly, Saul rushed into the room carrying Clementine. He quickly plopped the little girl right down next to Lizzy.

"I need you to watch her." He said hurriedly.

Lizzy was more than a little surprised. "Saul?"

"No time to explain," The young soldier told her before suddenly asking. "Do you have a gun?"

"Yes, Burt armed all of us," Lizzy reply becoming more worried. "You're scaring me, Saul. What is happening?"

"Chad finally went and did something stupid. He took Pegs as a hostage and is trying to escape and I have to get out there and help Michael."

* * *

Up in the bird's house, Kelly was surveying the surrounding countryside as Angel focused on the mass of oncoming walkers. Someone detonated explosives to draw those walkers here and they must be watching.

The noise made by thousands of approaching walkers was also becoming louder. Plenty soon it might be hard to hear themselves think. It was then Kelly finally glanced down at the garage the area and saw some unusual activity.

"Angel," Kelly asked. "Has Michael authorized anyone to leave the Nest?"

Angel was still observing the walkers with his binoculars, wishing he could call in an artillery strike. "No. Why?"

"Because we have people at the garage and they're loading up two of our SUV's."

"What?" Angel moved next to Kelly and stared down at the sight of people moving quickly, placing boxes of what looked like MREs and canned goods in the back. "No, that doesn't look suspicious at all." He said sarcastically.

He started to reach for his radio when Kelly pointed to two figures exiting the mansion and heading towards the garage. "There's Chad and Pegs."

* * *

Pegs walked nervously alongside Chad, worried of what he might do to her. Regardless of her fears, she was thankful that he didn't spot Clementine or he would have had two hostages instead of one.

Chad was holding her pistol in his coat pocket and threatened to use it if she didn't remain cooperative.

Moving causally from the mansion doors and towards the garage area, Chad ordered softly.

"Look over your shoulder and see if the lookouts have seen us."

Pegs peered over her shoulder and much to her relief, Kelly and Angel were looking right at her but how can she signal them?

"Yes." She whispered.

"Then wave at them and be your ridiculous bubbly self." Chad ordered. They just needed a few more minutes to make their escape and he hoped having Pegs along would reduce any suspicion.

Pegs waved to them and gave a low but friendly. "Hi!"

* * *

"Why is Pegs with him?" Angel asked. They two were far from being friends.

"Beats me but the people loading the vehicles are all from Chad's camp." Kelly observed. "Something is up."

"I'll radio Michael and see what is going on."

"Wait, Angel!" Kelly grabbed his hand away from his radio. "Look at Peg's right hand."

Angel could see Pegs holding her right hand behind her back as they walked away from them. Lifting his binoculars to his eyes, Angel could clearly see Peg's right hand against her back. She held it in a closed fist, with only her index finger extended and thumb raised to from a classic gesture of a gun. It can't be mistaken for anything else, Pegs was indicating that she was in trouble.

"Shit," Angel cursed and with an undead army coming right at them. Leave it to Chad to make matters worse.

"It's too risky to radio Michael if Chad or someone in his group is listening." Kelly warned.

She was right and it would take too long to climb down from the tower and alert Michael in person. He desperately looked around before spotting Carley and Lee who were slowly walking from her station at the wall. Grabbing the cocking bolt to his rifle, he ejected a single round into the palm of his hand before throwing it down to them to get their attention.

* * *

They were walking back to the mansion when Carley turned to him and asked.

"Lee, I need to know something, was Lilly right? Was there a traitor in our group?"

Lee knew this question would arrive sooner or later and he thought about it. However, he still wasn't sure how he would answer her. Ben was indeed the one who was secretly giving their medical supplies to the bandits and Carley defended Ben against Lilly's accusations and was shot and almost killed for her trouble.

What will he say to her? Carley may not appreciate knowing that she almost died protecting the man who was the actual traitor. Ben might have been a fuckup but he was also a scared young man and Lee didn't like speaking ill of the dead. He remembered Ben's final dying moments in that alleyway with walkers closing in, while Kenny defended him to the last. Ben was always terrified of the walkers getting him.

And all he could do was helplessly watch.

"Carley, I…"

Suddenly, something small, cylindrical in shape and metallic looking landed right in front of them. It was a bullet. Immediately they both cranked their necks upwards the bird house to find Angel looking down at them gesturing towards the east, to the front of the Nest's grounds and the garage area.

Lee wondered why Angel wasn't using the radio when he raised his hand to his chin, almost cupping it. Lee didn't understand the meaning of Angel's gesture but Carley did.

"We have a hostage situation." She said, readying her rifle. .

"How do you know?"

"They taught me hand basic hand signals to communicate to each other to help maintain silence out in the field. Coming?"

Lee drew his pistol. "I'm right beside you."

As they moved forward, Carley quietly made sure that she had Lee on her left because of her lack of peripheral vision on that side. Rounding the corner of the building, they saw people at the garage area readying two vehicles.

"I don't like this." A puzzled Lee said.

Carley glanced up to the bird house and saw both Angel and Kelly were monitoring them. Angel made eye contact with her and quickly held his hand up to form the letter C. Not sure what he was trying to tell her, Carley continued to advance when from the south side of the house, Riley appeared. Apparently Angel managed to alert her too.

This made Carley feel better. She wasn't crazy about confronting a large group of people but five on ten wasn't completely one sided especially with Angel and Kelly holding the high ground from the bird house.

Finally, she started recognizing some of the faces at the garage area and soon knew what Angel meant by the letter C when she finally spotted Pegs.

* * *

Chad was helping to load the first vehicle when he looked over his shoulder and realized that Michael's people were onto them. He glared over at Pegs. "Stall them."

"How?" Pegs was still nervous even though she succeeded in signalling for help.

"Just talk or I will order everyone to start shooting." He hissed at her.

"You wouldn't."

"We have nothing left to loose." Chad warned.

Pegs saw he wasn't bluffing and she didn't what anyone getting killed. Forcing a smile, she turned to Carley and Lee who were approaching with Riley not far behind.

"Hi. Is something wrong?"

Carley and Lee stopped about thirty feet away, suspiciously eyeing the activity before them. "What is going Pegs?" Carley asked.

"Nothing," Pegs said quickly. "Michael thought we should have a backup plan in case the worse should happen."

Lee saw that Chad wasn't even looking at them and Pegs appeared to be afraid to leave his side. Then his worries shifted to Clementine because Pegs was supposed to be watching her.

"Where's Clementine?" He demanded worriedly. _If Chad did something to her…_

"She's not here, she might be inside."

Lee's concern for Clementine and Pegs grew. He had to try and get Pegs away from Chad. "It's kind of hard to hear you, Pegs." He lied. "Why don't you come over here and talk to us."

"No," Pegs answered. "I'm going to help them load up. Just… go inside, please."

Carley didn't like this either and Pegs looked even more nervous. She repeated Lee's words to her as she tightened her grip on her rifle. "Pegs, please walk over here."

They were onto them, Chad realized. He knew this might happen but he was going to see this through. In one quick move, he grabbed Pegs, pulling her in front of him while holding his gun to her head.

"Just stay back!" Chad shouted.

Instantly, Lee, Carley and Riley lifted their weapons, while up in the bird house, Angel and Kelly took aim with their rifles. Just as quickly, Chad people pointed their weapons back at them.

It was at that moment, Michael and Burt exited the mansion main doors with their own weapons held at the ready.

"Chad!" Michael yelled. "Tell your people to lower their weapons before this gets out of hand."

"It's already out of hand," Chad said, still holding Pegs at gun point, keeping her in front of him like a human shield. "Can't you hear them? The walkers are almost here and we have to get out of here."

Michael and Burt continued to advance until they were standing between Riley, Lee and Carley.

"Is that what you want, to leave and run away? Abandon ship at the first sign of trouble. Well, it's not going to be that easy." Michael said in disgust while glancing at Pegs who looked terrified. He had to suppress his concern for her.

"And not with my guns you are not." Burt grumbled, determined to get them back even it meant prying them from their cold dead hands.

"Are you prepared to shot me?" Chad challenged them. "Go ahead and shoot and see what happens when those walkers hear the gunfire."

Michael eyes kept going back to Pegs and the gun pointed to her head. He kept hearing the moans and grunts of the walkers at they drew closer. Everyone he was responsible for was in danger and he needed them to be focused on their current problem and this distraction against Chad was going to get them all killed.

Worse, Chad was spot on about the risk of gunfire drawing the walkers to them. Chad knew this and would use it to his full advantage. _Damn him!_

"Burt," Michael said in a calm voice. "Move the humvee and open the gate."

"Are you nuts!" Burt shouted. "On top of taking my guns, do you realize how much of our supplies they may have packed away in those vehicles?"

"I have an idea what they took and it's worth it to be rid of them." Michael replied under his voice. He did a quickly calculation in his head as to how much those vehicles interior space could carry with passengers. Honestly, they might come out ahead if they would just let them leave. "And Chad is right on one point, we can't risk a gunfire fight, not with walkers this close, can we Burt?"

The ex-marine was red with rage but Michael was right. A single gunshot might doomed them all. "I can't believe we're letting that fucker get away with this."

"I know but we need to keep our eyes on the bigger picture and for this place to remain safe," Michael lowered his rifle. "Okay, Chad you and your followers want to leave then you're free to go but know this, there will be no coming back once your clear those gates. I will issue orders to have you shot on sight if we see you again."

Chad was a little stunned, expecting more resistance but he won. "Don't worry, you won't see us again."

"Now, let her go." Michael ordered, pointing to Pegs.

Chad shook his head. "Not until we're out of the gates."

"You said a gunshot would draw in the walkers," Michael reminded him. "We won't try to stop you. Let her go and we'll open the gates."

Chad hesitated and Michael said calmly, knowing he had the advantage this time if Chad wanted out. "You're running out of time."

With a dark frown, Chad pushed Pegs towards them. "Then open the damn gates."

"I'm sorry Michael." Pegs whispered as she approached him. "He took me by surprise."

"I know," He replied softly, gently guiding her behind him. "It's not your fault. Just stand behind us. Burt, open the gate."

Lee was watching the events quietly. He definitely didn't care much about Chad but he was concern about some of the people that were following him. He finally decided to speak up.

"You can't be serious in letting them all go." Lee said to Michael.

"I can't stop them." Michael replied. In fact he was a little relieved.

"It's a death sentence." Lee said before addressing Chad and the others as they finished readying their two vehicles. "You can't go out there."

"What do you know," Chad scoffed. "Unlike you, we won't have some child being a burden to us."

"What do I know?" Lee spoke angrily, lowering his gun. "I have been out there surviving day after day and through the damn winter! And that 'little girl' pulled her own weight more times than I can count. Do you even have a plan?!"

"We're going to head west and leave this state." Chad replied.

"You're going to flee to Alabama?" Lee said in disbelief. "What makes you think its any better? Are you expecting everything to magically improve as soon as you cross the state line?"

"Anything is better than here." Chad dismissed his concerns.

"There is nothing out there!" Lee shouted. "Living on the road will kill you all! We need to stick together!"

By then, Burt was in the humvee starting it up before putting it in reverse clearing the gate.

"Everyone, get in." Chad ordered.

"The sun is setting," Lee pointed out. "How are you going to get through the night?"

Suddenly, that got a few of Chad's people to pause and perhaps to reconsider their escape plan. Chad realized it was a good argument and he had to nip any self-doubt in the bud. He turned to Lee and replied back confidently. "How are you going to get through the night with 10,000 walkers swarming this place?" Then he addressed his people. "If you what to live, then get into the vehicles."

Lee watched helplessly as Chad led his group, eight people possibly to their deaths as they climbed into the two vehicles. Then he felt a gentle hand slipping into his and Lee looked and saw Carley by his side. Her caring gaze focused on him as she said in sympathy.

"You tried."

Leaving the humvee, Burt now checked the gate. They had the bars covered with a tarp so no walker can look inside and be drawn by the sight of people moving within the compound grounds. After peering outside and seeing the coast was clear for the moment, he opened the gate.

The vehicles started up just as Saul stepped outside the building with several others in tow.

"What happened?" Saul demanded as he watched the two vehicles driving through the gate with Burt quickly closing it behind them but not before giving Chad's group a parting middle finger.

"We let them go." Michael said.

"You let those fuckers go?" Saul exclaimed.

"Yes and weren't you supposed to be watching Clementine?" Michael replied firmly.

"She's safe with Lizzy and Dr. Cottle," Saul answered angrily as the sound of the approaching walkers grew louder. "Seriously, what the fuck are we going to do now?"

"We're going with Burt's plan." Michael said. "It's all we have left."

* * *

From the driver's seat in the lead vehicle, Chad glanced into the rear view mirror as they left the Nest farther behind them. It was almost dark as they headed south away from the horde, it was the only road that was available to them now.

He couldn't believe they got away with it as easily they did. He always considered Michael to be a fool and Burt an idiot. Always trying to save or give aid to anyone who came along. They definitely couldn't make the hard choices but he could. He would have left Carley, Lee and that kid to rot if he had found them. They're just extra mouths to feed and having a nine year old girl was next to useless in contributing to their survival.

He'd keep driving south to the next turn off before heading west. It can't be like this everywhere. There has to be a safe area and he'd lead his people to it.

Chad considered the state of Georgia to be dead in every sense of the word. They'd had no radio communication with anyone in months, so they had to leave and get out of the area and find another place to restart.

Fuck Michael, fuck Burt and fuck the rest of them who had decided to stay in that death trap of a mansion. One thing is for sure, he'd out last those fools and that would be his revenge.

Instantly, the windshield to his vehicle cracked, shattered by a single bullet that went straight into his chest, striking his heart.

Michael never liked this section of road to the south and ordered everyone to avoid it whenever possible. It was too hilly and closed in with too many trees and hiding spots for ambushes, which was happening now.

From both sides of the road, weapons fire erupted, ripping into the two lone vehicles. The leading vehicle with the driver now dead, drifted into the ditch while the second one came to a stop and tried to go into reverse which made it an easier target for those few seconds. More bullets exploded out the side windows as the driver tried to escape by backing up but only succeeding in driving off the road and into the ditch just a hundred feet away.

More bullets peppered the vehicles before someone up in the hills shouted. "Cease fire!"

All was silent before a dozen figures emerged onto the road to inspect their latest capture. They first checked the bodies of the bullet ridden passengers in both vehicles before putting a bullet to their heads. Still alive or dead, it didn't matter.

Only then did they begin inspecting the vehicles to see what they were carrying. While this was happening, about half of them formed a protective ring against any approaching walkers.

"Jackpot!" The bandit leader said as they started plundering the two vehicles cargo. "Guns, ammo and food. Get the trucks and let's load it up while we have some daylight left."

"I told you this would work and it did," Another bandit said. "Just a little bit of dynamite to get the walkers pointed in the right direction and we just need to sit back and watch."

A second bandit checked over the dead passengers pockets. "There are only nine," He commented. "That building down the road had at least thirty people, where's the rest of them?"

"They're probably going to try and hold the place," The bandit leader stated. "But we did succeed in getting some of their food and weapons. We're in a better position now"

"They have machineguns, including a big 50 cal with army guys that know how to use them. A couple more hunting rifles, shotguns and pistols on our side won't change much."

The bandit leader wasn't bothered. "Relax. In the morning, the rest of them will probably be dead and everything in that mansion will be ours. You know the best thing about walkers? They're not interested in guns or canned goods, just the people we want out of our way."

**Next Chapter: Shadows**


	14. Shadows

**Chapter 14: Shadows**

"Allen, the sun is just about to go down. We should head back to the truck and get the hell out of here." Paul said nervously, knowing how far of a walk it is to reach their vehicle.

His companion however, looked more annoyed than worried. This was the tenth time in as many minutes that Paul suggested in leaving.

"We were told to watch the place and radio in anything that happens," he said. "Two vehicles already tried to leave and more might try again soon. Our roadblock will be toast if they send out that armored humvee of theirs and we don't alert them that it's coming. Who do you think will get the blame if that happens?"

After weeks of carefully planning, everything was working out surprisingly well. For a long time the walled up mansion was basically an impenetrable fortress with its well armed occupants protecting it. Months had gone by and all the bandits like Allen and Paul could do was to monitor the _Nest_'_s _radio traffic and their ridiculous bird nicknames they gave to each other.

They came up with several plans but always, taking the place seemed impossible without it being a one sided slaughter. Then someone hit on the idea of trying to draw a large herd of walkers towards it by using explosives and let them do all the dirty work. At the very least, it'll weaken their defenses and waste their ammo in fighting the thousands of dead off.

The two bandits on lookout were safe and secure in the attic of an abandoned home about 500 yards away with its own long private driveway, tucked away far off the main road. It was one of the few places that they could get close enough driving across country without being seen by their watch tower. Once inside, they carefully punched a small hole in the roof so they could spy on them. They had a clear view of the mansion and its gate. What was happening inside those walls was another mystery.

The thousands of walkers were almost on them and with some luck the dead could wipe them all out. Then all they had to do was set off another explosion or two to draw them off and the place and its supplies would be theirs.

"Allen, I just don't like the idea of possibility being trapped up here, Allen." a frighten Paul admitted.

"And you think I do?" Allen replied in frustration before calming himself. "This attic is accessible only by using a step ladder which we can easily kick away, we'll be safe. The people in that mansion are the ones that should be afraid. So relax."

* * *

"_Walkers have made contact with the north wall," _Angel reported over the radio. "_The main body is just a few minutes behind."_

Down at the garage area, Saul came running out of the vehicle building carrying a large box. "I got the fireworks."

Michael was with Burt at the humvee.

"Got enough gas in that thing?" he asked the ex-marine.

Burt was behind the wheel of the vehicle with the driver side door open as he checked the fuel gauge.

"We've got a quarter of a tank." he answered.

Saul quickly walked around the humvee before opening the passenger side door to hop in. Burt was about to start the vehicle when he heard Michael opening the rear passenger door behind him.

"What are you doing?"

"Going with you," Michael responded. "It's nearly nightfall and I'm not letting you two go out there without an extra gun."

Burt shook his head at the offer. "Bad idea, right now this place needs you more. Hold down the fort."

"This isn't up to you Burt…"

Standing close by, Carley could see Burt and Michael were about to argue again which they don't have the time to afford. "I'll go." she volunteered.

Lee was next to her and immediately he blurted out a shocked. "What?"

"We don't have time to fight about this," Carley said to both Michael and Lee as she stepped towards the humvee. "The walkers will be blocking the gate any minute. I'll go and make sure Burt and Saul come back." Carley then pointed a finger directly at Michael. "Just make sure that this place is intact when we return."

"Yes, ma'am." Michael uttered with an almost amused look.

"Then I'm going with you." Lee replied and when Carley looked ready to protest, he interrupted her using her own words. "We don't have time to argue. I'm coming to make sure you come back too."

"This is all very touching," Burt said. "But I'm leaving in ten seconds so get in!"

As Carley and Lee jumped in the back of the humvee, Michael handed Burt his night vision goggles. "The batteries are still good in this one but try and save it for the return trip."

"We're probably going to be stuck out there at least until morning or whenever most of the walkers moves on," Burt said as he took the goggles placing them on the floorboard by his feet. "Hopefully we won't need to use it much."

Burt shut the driver's side door as Michael approached the gate with several of his fighters ready.

"There's a bunch of walkers in front of the gate now," Riley whispered to Michael as she peeked outside through the tarp covering it. "I can count six with several more off in the distance."

The army sergeant fixed his bayonet to his rifle. "Riley, stand back and have your bow ready."

Riley backed away as another fighter took her place at the gate as Michael said to him and the others. "We'll open the gate on three. And remember everyone, no gunfire. Knives and clubs only, understand? Now get ready, one, two THREE!"

The gate swung open to reveal several walkers on the other side. The dead turned just in time to see the humvee speeding towards them with Burt's foot pressing the accelerator right to the floor. The reinforced bumper struck four of them, sending three walkers flying and crushing the fourth under its wheels.

"Close the gate!" Michael commanded as he joined the others pushing it shut.

As the gate closed, two walkers that the humvee missed lunged forward but one was stopped cold by an arrow striking through its right eye by Riley. The second managed to find itself instantly pinned inside the closing gate, keeping it from locking shut.

"Hold the gate!" Michael shouted.

Riley was loading another arrow when Michael moved from the gate and approached the walker as it struggled like an animal in a trap. The undead reached out with its decaying hands and snapping its rotting teeth at him. In one swift motion, Michael rammed the bayonet on his rifle under its jaw and up into its brain, finally putting it to rest.

Michael then quickly grabbed the motionless walker and shouted. "Open the gate slightly!" and pulled it inside, clearing the entrance. "Close it!" He ordered.

The fighters pushed the gate shut just as a dozen more walkers reached it, clawing at the tarp covered bars. Many of the dead were drawn in by the sudden activity at the gate entrance but thankful a majority of the walker's attention was focused on the racing humvee as it headed off road eastward.

In the vehicle, Lee looked back at the Nest, worried about the people back there and especially Clementine as the undead horde slowly began to encircle it. He didn't even have time to say good-bye to her. He just had to make sure that they succeed and get through the night alive.

"What's the plan?" Lee asked.

Burt was concentrating on driving, resisting from switching on their headlights which would only draw in even more walkers on them. The sun was almost settled out of sight on the horizon making it difficult to see in the disappearing daylight.

"Put some distance between us and the Nest and set off the fireworks that Saul has." Burt finally said.

Carley looked surprised. "That's it?"

"Yeah," Burt replied, steering the humvee around some trees and the odd walker. "Is that a problem?"

"No," Carley answered, sharing a look at Lee. The two of them didn't have time to ask what Burt and the rest of them were planning other than it was a risky attempt to save the Nest before volunteering to help. "I thought it would be more difficult."

"We still have to stop, get out and light the fireworks and escape before being overwhelmed by walkers," Saul said before chucking sarcastically. "I'm just glad this isn't a Hollywood horror movie."

"What, this situation isn't hairy enough for you?" Lee commented as the vehicle rocked back and forth over a rough patch of terrain.

"Oh come on, Lee," Saul replied with a half laugh. "Two black men in the middle of the apocalypse, what could possibly go wrong if this was a movie?"

"Hey, horror movies haven't been very kind to women either," Carley replied defensively. "They usually scream hysterically at the monster or axe murderer and run off cluelessly in the wrong direction. God, I hate that."

"To be fair, the few horror movies I've seen usually had the woman being the last one still standing." Lee admitted.

"Yeah, a lot better than the poor token black guy." Saul agreed.

"Versus the dumb blonde in the tight outfit and huge boobs who's only purpose is to die screaming in those slasher films?" Carley mockingly declared.

"For the love of God," Burt shouted. "Enough with horror movie debates! Let's focus on the real one we're living in!"

* * *

"We've got activity," Allen said as he carefully observed the Nest from their vantage point. "Their humvee has left the gate and is… Oh, shit!"

"What?" an increasingly worried Paul asked.

"They're heading this way."

* * *

Burt was a little frustrated with the numbers of walkers covering the countryside but finally he reached a nice clearing where there were none around for hundreds of feet. Most of all, it was still in sight of the Nest so the walkers surrounding it will see their little early 4th of July show.

"This is a good a spot as any." he said putting the vehicle in park before reaching down and grabbing a couple of road flares.

Lee opened his right side rear passenger side door and stepped out with his gun ready, commenting with concern. "I can barely see."

"We can't risk any lights." Burt replied as they all got out of the humvee. "Let's do this quick and get out of here."

Carley could barely make out anything too. The sun had gone down completely and everything was nearly cloaked in shadows. She could just see the moving shapes of walkers off in the distance and a nearby house just three hundred feet off to their left.

Burt and Saul moved to the front of the humvee to prepare to set off the fireworks

"Lee," Carley called out. "Cover your side of the humvee."

"Don't have to tell me twice." came his dry response.

Carley took a few steps towards Burt and Saul to keep them covered. Saul put the box down and used his combat knife to slice the top and opened the lid.

Burt quickly checked its contents before Carley heard him muttering. "Perfect."

The box contained cone fountains, ground spinners, aerial rockets and even the classic handheld sparklers. This will put on a good light show for miles.

Burt reached for one of the road flares and lit it. It burst into an eerie red glow and was prepared to drop it in the box when they suddenly all heard the gunshot.

* * *

Allen lost sight of the humvee but it stopped somewhere nearby. He bravely climbed down the ladder from the attic down to the second floor of the home they were hiding in. They blocked the stairway leading up to the second floor with some old furniture, so they were safe for a moment if any walker did enter the building. However, Paul was too cowardly to dare and follow him, so Allen left him there. He had to find out what the people in that humvee were up to.

Cautiously with his rifle ready, he entered the remains of someone's bedroom from another time and world. Everything in this house was ransacked. He approached the window and peered out and spotted them, just a little off in the distance. It was too dark to see much but he could make out the shape of the humvee and some figures moving about. It looked like they were placing something on the ground in front of the vehicle.

Then as he watched one of them popped a road flare. That's when he spotted the large box on the ground between them and instantly had an idea what they were planning. Without thinking, he aimed at the figures now being illuminated by the flare and fired his rifle to try and stop them.

* * *

Lee was trying his best to keep track of the walkers slowly shifting towards them in the constantly dimming light. Then Burt lit the road flare and he was instantly relieved. They soon could get back in the vehicle and get out of here.

Suddenly a gunshot rang out. It came from the direction of the house.

Lee's first action was to turn to check on the others. He instantly heard Saul cursing.

"Fuck! Everyone, get down." the soldier yelled before he aimed and unloaded his assault rifle back at the house.

Lee spotted Burt still holding the flare but where's Carley? Then he saw her crouched on the ground before she lifted her own rifle and added her firepower to Saul's. To his relief, she looked okay.

Burt dropped the burning flare into the box of fireworks and shouted. "Get your asses back into the vehicle! NOW!"

Burt drew his pistol and fired twice at the house as he started his way back to the vehicle. Burt saw Lee and Saul were already getting inside the humvee but Carley was struggling to get back to her feet. He gently grabbed her by the arm to help her up.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

Carley answered but her usually strong voice was almost a whisper now. "I'm shot."

Burt immediately holstered his gun before using both hands to pull her to her feet. Carley kept a weak hold on her rifle as the large ex-marine helped her back to the humvee.

When Burt first lit the flare and the gunshot erupted, Carley felt an impact like someone punched her hard in the left side, just below her rib cage. The force almost spun her around, knocking her down to her knees.

Carley was in denial at first, she couldn't believe it (was she hit?) when she heard Saul shouting and firing his rifle at the house. Carley still felt okay and able to move her body without difficulty. She even brought up her own weapon and returned fire as well. By then, she started to feel a burning sensation coming from her left side. This forced her to realize she was indeed hit.

"Get your asses back into the vehicle! NOW!" she heard Burt hollering.

Carley tried to stand but she grimaced in pain. She couldn't get up. Before she could try again, Burt was by her side and placing a hand around her left arm.

"Are you alright?"

She could really feel the pain radiating from her left side now and she grew scared on how bad it could be. She spoke to him in a faint voice. "I'm shot."

Without warning, Burt simply grabbed Carley lifting to her feet and helped her towards the humvee but Carley couldn't recall her feet touching the ground even once.

As they approached the left rear passenger door, Carley remembered seeing Lee's concerned face as Burt handed her off to him. Together they put her inside and Burt shut the door before getting back behind the wheel again as the first of the fireworks started going off.

They exploded in loud pops and showered the area in a sparkling radiance, lighting the entire area up, a few at first but quickly grew in sound and brilliant intensity. Several rockets shot up in the air before exploding but many bounced across the ground. One even harmlessly struck the windshield of the humvee as Burt backed the vehicle away.

In the back of the humvee, Carley felt the pain growing worse as she let herself collapse in Lee's arms as he held her tightly, as he tried to console her. Touching her left side, blood was already soaking through her cloths. Saul climbed over the seats to reach them and to help check and tend to her wounds.

Carley tried to tell Lee that everything would be alright but she didn't really believe it herself. She needed a doctor and the best one they had was now blocked off by thousands of walkers.


	15. Blood

**Chapter 15: Blood**

"What's happening?" Kelly asked Angel in a low voice as they sat quietly in the _Bird House_, unable to see the humvee when it drove out of sight into the darkness minutes ago. "They're taking too long just to set off a box of fireworks."

The moaning noise of the dead now encircling their home was drowning everything else out. Any second, Kelly expected the simple brick walls surrounding their home to collapse and the walkers to start pouring in to devour them.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Angel replied. "Just give them another minute."

Then they heard a sharp popping sound that broke over the collective noise of the walkers. It was then immediately followed by several more in quick sessions.

"They did it!" Kelly softly cheered.

However, Angel was not as happy. "That was not fireworks," he said. "It sounded more like gunshots. Walkers might be giving them some problems."

Before Kelly could reply, off in the distance a brilliant yellow glow formed followed by several detonations. They watched as the sky suddenly now exploded as fireworks erupted, lighting the entire area.

Kelly looked down and to her relief the walkers started to head eastward, drawn to the flashing dazzling lights and noise of the fireworks.

"They're leaving." she said in relief.

Immediately, Angel was on the radio to Michael. "They did it, Broken Wing! Burt and the team did it! The walkers have changed course."

_Everything went off without a hitch._ Angel thought.

* * *

"Hold on Carley," Lee whispered to the wounded woman sitting next to him, cradling her upper body in his arms. "Saul is here, he'll fix you up."

In the rear passenger seats, Carley was situated between Lee who was on her right and Saul who was seated on her left. Saul was examining her bullet wound with a small flashlight. The humvee rocked slightly as Burt drove them to safety, now wearing the night vision goggles. Every few seconds, the blackened night was lit up by another bunch of fireworks going off.

Breaking out the humvee's medical kit, Saul could see that the bullet had gone right through Carley's left side, close to her rib cage, just striking her lower most rib, possibly breaking it.

"Lee, I need you to take the light," Saul said, holding the flashlight out to him. "I need to have both hands free."

Keeping his right arm around to support Carley, Lee used his left hand to take the flashlight. Saul then helped him to point the light to the right spot. "Now, hold it right there."

Now ready, Saul looked to Carley and said in an apologetic tone. "I have to get the bleeding under control. The bullet has broken a rib and I'm afraid this is going to hurt."

"Just do what you need to," Carley whispered, clutching Lee's right forearm with both hands. "I'm not dying out here."

"Here we go." Saul said.

Suddenly, Carley jumped in Lee's arms as she let out a short scream. To see her in such agony nearly tore Lee's heart out, making him feel helpless. He wanted some way to take her pain away.

"Lee you have to hold the light steady," Saul ordered. "Carley, I'm sorry but you have to hold still."

"You're hurting her." Lee protested.

"I'm trying to save her life!" Saul exclaimed.

"Can't you give her anything?" Burt said as he drove on.

"I just have the regular med-kit we store in the humvee," a frustrated Saul explained. "The drugs we need was in my personal med kit that I tossed in the back of the Ford Escape that dick Chad drove off with."

"Just forget the drugs and get this over with," Carley grimaced. "I'll be okay."

Suddenly Burt stopped the humvee, putting the vehicle in park before reaching down to grab the remaining three road flares.

"What the hell are you doing?" Saul shouted just as Burt opened his driver side door to jump out.

"I'm going to smoke some bastards out." the ex-marine angrily replied.

Burt pulled the humvee right out front of the abandoned house where the gunshots came from. He parked as close as possible and his night vision goggles showed no walkers were nearby for the moment. It was a good sized brick home with a large wooden porch out in front. As he left the humvee and approached the steps to the home, he noticed it also had a nice wooden porch swing with very flammable looking seat cushions.

Igniting all three of the road flares, Burt tossed them onto the porch swing before hurrying back to the humvee. Burt was smiling when he got back behind the wheel and drove away as the porch swing went up like a pile of newspapers.

* * *

Michael ordered everyone inside the mansion with all the doors and windows now boarded up. Thankfully, Burt and the others came through with setting off the fireworks and Angel confirmed that the horde was now moving east away from them.

All they had to do was remain quiet until the walkers leave the area.

"Michael?"

The sergeant turned to see Lizzy and Clementine approaching. The two looked worried and Michael knew why. It had been barely ten minutes when Burt and the rest of them left and Michael had to give them the bad news.

"We were told that Saul, Burt, Lee and Carley went outside the walls. Are they okay?" the blonde woman demanded.

"They're in the humvee and it looks like they succeeded in drawing the walkers away from us. They should be radioing in any time," Michael tried to calm their concerns. "They didn't have the time to let you two know that were leaving. Everything happened quick."

"What about the walkers," Clementine suddenly asked in a shaky voice. "They're out there with them."

"The humvee is armored and built to withstand a roadside bomb," Michael explained to the little girl to ease her fears. "The walkers won't be able to even put a scratch on it."

"Excuse me while I don't feel as confident," Lizzy started to say. "We seen what walkers can do if enough get together…"

"_Lizzy!"_ Michael firmly interrupted her before signalling Lizzy with a slight nod towards Clementine. The last thing he wanted to see was the little girl getting even more upset.

"Sorry," Lizzy whispered apologetically before looking down at Clementine putting on her best fake smile. "They'll be fine. I… I keep forgetting Burt is with them. He'll keep them safe."

"Yeah and Lee is smart and Carley is good with a gun," Clementine added hopefully. "And Saul is a little of both. Together they'll make it."

"Good," Michael commented. "Keep remembering that. I need to check something and once I get some news, I'll immediately let you two know."

"Thanks Michael." Lizzy finally said.

With a nod, Michael left them and walked down the hallway into the next room. Alone for a moment, he checked his radio and pressed the transmit button.

"This is Broken Wing to Raven. Please respond. Over."

He was greeted by silence.

"This is Broken Wing to Raven. Is anyone there? Over."

Again silence.

"Penguin, Rooster, Condor, can anyone hear me? Over."

Nothing. Michael stared sadly at the radio for a moment when Burt's voice finally answered him.

"_We're a little busy here Broken Wing. Driving a humvee cross-country, wearing night vision goggles, swerving around trees and the odd walker while trying not to get stuck in a ditch can be very taxing."_

Michael permitted himself to smile. "The fireworks did the trick and the walkers are moving eastward. Good work."

"_Yeah, thanks but we have a problem. Rooster was shot."_

"What happened?"

"_We parked close to that old house to the east and someone was in it and they took a shot at us. Probably the same people who set those walkers after us."_

"What's her condition?"

"_Penguin __is looking after her but all of us here agree that we would rather have the Owl tending to Rooster."_

"I'll notify the Owl so he can be prepared but we can't do anything until those walkers move on. Can she hold on until then?"

There was a long pause. "_Penguin __said she_'_s currently stable and he_'_s got the bleeding under control."_

"Good," Michael said. "Just hold on until the walkers are gone. Stay in contact and we'll let you now when it's safe to return."

"_Understood. Oh, by the way, if you see a raging fire off in the distance, don't worry, I set that one."_

"Uh? What did you do Raven?"

* * *

Smoke was everything as Paul and Allen fled from the upstairs to the downstairs kitchen.

"The bastards are burning us out!" Allen yelled as he shut the door behind him.

"If you hadn't taken that shot at them we'd still be okay," Paul retorted angrily. "They wouldn't have known we were here!"

"Fuck you!" Allen shouted before choking on the growing smoke that was seeping under the closed kitchen door. "We need to get out of here and get to the truck."

Paul hated the idea of going outside considering how far they had to run to reach their vehicle. But it was either face the walkers or remain here and be smothered to death from the smoke. Somehow, the choking smoke was a better death than being eaten alive but Paul wanted to live.

"What's the plan?"

"We run and stay on the pathway going through the woods no matter want and use our flashlights," Allen said. "We've got only one chance and we can't afford to get lost in the dark."

Paul readied his 38 revolver and flashlight, holding both nervously. "Let's get this over with."

"I'll go first." Allen went to the back door and opened it and found dozens of walkers milling around outside. The opening door drew their attention almost immediately and several snarled before moving towards them.

"Run!" Allen said charging towards an opening in the ranks of the dead.

Paul was right behind him as they darted between the walkers. For a moment he thought they could make it when Allen sudden tripped. Over what, Paul wasn't sure but he kept on running, ignoring Allen's plight.

"HELP ME!" Allen shouted from behind.

Paul dared to look back for a second and saw several walkers were now on top of him. He was struggling to get up to escape but one bite down into his shoulder and Allen cried out. They were eating him! After all this time, Paul never witnessed walkers doing this before and it was happening right before him. He was going to throw up.

"KILL ME!" Allen begged as the weight of the walkers pushed him down. Several were ripping at his coat, trying to bite into his back.

Paul was in the clear as the walkers were now focusing on Allen. For a moment he stopped and aimed his gun to put Allen out of his misery. Then he realized he only had six shots in his gun and he might need every bullet to reach the truck.

"I'm sorry…" he muttered before running to the woods.

"YOU BASTARD!" Allen screamed as the walkers slowly started to devour him.

Paul raced through the woods, staying to the path. He still could hear Allen screams and he ran even harder. It was just a couple hundred more feet and he'd be in the clear. He saw no walkers but his flashlight must have been drawing them towards his location. He kept running, panting for breath when he finally reached the clearing and soon the truck.

As he broke out of the trees, Paul stopped. Between him and the vehicle must have been a near solid wall of walkers which were taking notice of him now.

"Oh shit." Paul cried weakly.

He thought of running back but he heard movement in the trees behind him.

"_Oh shit!"_ Paul cried again as walkers had him surrounded.

He had no place to run. The gun he held in his hand started trembling again. He remembered what happened to Allen. He didn't want to go out like that.

"_Shit…"_

He lifted the gun to the side of head and cocked the trigger as his worse nightmare closed in from all sides. Whimpering, Paul closed his eyes and felt his finger pulling the trigger and nothing else after that.

* * *

They sat quietly in the dark humvee. The fireworks were now long burnt out and the flaming house was just a small beacon off in the distance. Carley was asleep in Lee's arms, while Saul monitored her condition every few minutes. Burt remained behind the wheel, ready to go whenever Michael gave the all clear to return home.

"What's happening out there?" Lee asked.

"About the same when I looked the last time," Burt muttered. "Walkers everywhere."

Just then, something thumped against the humvee and the sound of a low moan penetrated the metal skin of the vehicle.

Lee found himself thankful of the dark because he couldn't see what horrors might be lurking around them through the vehicle's windows.

"It has been fifteen minutes. Maybe you should check with Michael and see if the situation around the _Nest_ had changed?" Saul whispered softly, afraid of being heard from whatever might be outside of the humvee.

The situation was getting to Burt too. He nodded, wishing nothing than to get out of there. "I'll check."

He reached for the radio.

Lee felt Carley stirring in his arms and he heard a soft sigh coming from her.

"Carley," he whispered to her as she moved slightly. "Carley?"

Saul lifted his flashlight and switched it on, just for a second to check on her. What both men saw in the light was a sickly grey face frame in brown hair and a milky white eye glaring hungrily back at them.

"FUCK!" Saul shouted. "She turned!"

Now a walker, Carley made a horrifying hissing sound like a snake as she clawed at Lee to bring her opened mouth close to tear at the flesh of his neck.

"NO!" Lee shouted as he struggled to push her away. "Get off!"

In the front seat, Burt dropped the radio and tried to reach back to pull Carley off of him. Saul went for his pistol, pulling it from its holster and placing the barrel against the side of Carley's head. He pulled the trigger but not before Carley took a large bite out of Lee's neck.

Lee's blood and Carley's brain matter sprayed everywhere at the same time.

* * *

Carley opened her eye and was greeted by darkness. She grasped for air, feeling cold and clammy, her heart racing a mile a minute. She tried to move but her left side and belly were hurting. Where was she? What happened? Please let this be nothing but a bad dream!

"Carley?"

She heard Lee's voice in the dark and felt his arms holding her, a gentle hand brushed through her hair.

"Lee…" She whispered back.

A light shown in the darkness what felt like mere inches from Carley's face, nearly blinding her good eye.

She then heard Saul concerned voice cursing. "Shit!"

A hand pressed against her stomach but she immediately felt a sharp pain. This forced Carley to cry out.

"She's bleeding internally," Saul said, checking her belly and seeing what looked like a bad bruised forming, a sign of blood collecting under the skin. "She's going into shock. Fuck!"

"Keep calm," Lee said, holding Carley close. "What can we do?"

"We need to get her to our doctor." Saul said, looking at his dying patient.

"We can't," Burt said. "The Nest is still surrounded by walkers. Think of something else."

Saul thought for a second. "A blood transfusion will buy her time."

"Then take mine," Burt offered. "We share the same blood type."

"What about me, I'm O Negative. Doesn't that make me a universal donor?" Lee offered, remembering from the times he donated blood over the years.

"She's B Negative and yes, your blood will be compatible." Saul agreed.

For Saul, he had the wrong blood type but with Burt and Lee, maybe they could keep her alive long enough.

"No." Carley suddenly protested.

"Carley," Lee said softly to her. "We have to try and save you."

"I won't let you…" Carley struggled for words, stubbornly clinging to consciousness. "What if something goes wrong and you two are too weak to defend yourselves."

"I can't loose you. Not again," Lee pleaded, holding her tightly. "Don't leave me."

"You have Clementine…"

"And I want you to be there as well," Lee countered, sounding very determined. "I'm going to be a selfish bastard for once and tell you that I need you. We're not going to watch you die… I'm not going to watch you die."

Carley reached up and touched the side of Lee's face as he spoke passionately to her. He didn't want to let go of her and Carley didn't want to die either but she refused to let someone place themselves in jeopardy just to save her. Then she remembered the nightmare, biting into Lee's neck. Fear gripped her.

"Just don't let me turn…" Carley breathed weakly. "Don't… I'm a danger to all of you…"

"We won't let that happen," Lee said in relief. He gently kissed her. "Saul?"

Suddenly, something started to pound on the sides of the humvee. Burt switched on the night vision goggles and saw several walkers encircling the humvee.

"Shit," the ex-marine cursed. "They must have seen the flashlight. Hold on!"

Burt started up the vehicle and drove off. "I'll try to find another spot," he said. "Just get your gear ready when we stop. No telling how much time we'll have before we'll have to move again."

"I'll need just a couple of minutes," Saul said as he readied the blood transfusion kit when the humvee hit a big bump. "If your driving doesn't kill all of us first." He muttered.

"Whine, whine, whine." Burt replied with a smirk as drove off into the night while walkers tried to track the sound of the moving humvee.

* * *

Three hours.

Three hours and Michael still counted at least a hundred of walkers still roaming aimlessly around the _Nest_ through his night vision goggles as he looked over the wall. At least close to fifty were still blocking the road to the east gate.

Their home was now safe. The main horde had long since moved on and they could handle the remaining walkers. The trick was getting the humvee back inside the gate without dozens of walkers trying to follow it in. From his last communication with Saul a few minutes ago things were getting desperate in that vehicle. They couldn't wait anymore.

Michael turned and looked into the faces of Lizzy, Clementine and Dr. Cottle standing anxiously just a few feet from him, waiting for him to decide. However, Michael had already made up his mind.

"Listen up," Michael addressed everyone in the parking area. "There are still close to a hundred walkers out there but I know we can take care of that many. What I need is for everyone to start making noise to draw the walkers away from the east side of the wall so our people can get back in through the gate. Don't let them bunch up all together along the walls and try to take out as many as you can but no guns. Let's move like we have a purpose."

With great efficiency, everyone there climbed onto the walls and started shouting and clapping their hands, drawing the walkers away from the eastside to the north and south walls. Once the dead got within reach, clubs, axes, makeshift spears were used to thin many of them out.

It took less than twenty minutes to clear an opening and Michael was proud of everyone.

"The gate is clear." Angel yelled to Michael.

"Penguin, the gate is clear! Come on in!" Michael spoke into the radio.

A minute later, the humvee could be heard in the distance as they opened the gates. Like a batman out of hell, the humvee roared inside the compound and the gate was quickly shut behind it.

It barely came to a stop before Saul jumped out from the driver side door, shouting to everyone. "Hurry!"

Doctor Cottle and the others were there instantly as Saul opened the back passenger side door just as a very relieved Lizzy raced up to hug him. The doctor looked inside and at the sight before him. Carley was unconscious and sickly pale looking and next to her were Burt and Lee who looked no better but at least they were still awake.

"How much of your own blood did you two give her?" Dr. Cottle demanded as he reached in and pulled the IV line from Lee's arm. Both men looked horrible.

"Just help her." Lee whispered.

The doctor checked Carley and found she still had a pulse. Quickly, both he, Saul and Lizzy helped pull her from the humvee and carried the injured woman back to the main building.

Clementine looked briefly torn who to be with, either Carley or Lee. She moved closer to the humvee and spotted Lee who was still conscious and she immediately climbed inside and hugged him.

"Lee!"

"We're all okay Sweet Pea." Lee said back, returning her hug. "We're just feeling tired."

At the rear passenger door, Michael ordered some food and water to be brought for the two weakened men. The army sergeant then leaned inside the vehicle door and looked at them sternly.

"That was a risky dumbass thing you two did!"

Clementine glared back disapprovingly. "Swear."

Michael's anger faded briefly. "Sorry but I could have lost three good people instead of just one tonight."

"I wasn't going to watch her die." Lee said firmly.

"Me neither," Burt agreed. "Could you watch Pegs die if it had been her?"

Michael looked at the two men who risked everything to save one of their own and it took him two second to finally admit.

"Me neither."

TBC...


	16. One Bad Day

**Chapter 16: One Bad Day**

Michael looked over the Nest's wall, across the grassy field as the sun broke above the horizon, bringing with it a new day and illuminating the carnage surrounding their home. The bodies of walkers piled along the walls would have to be cleaned up and thrown onto a burning pile to be incinerated.

There were still some walkers milling about but their total numbers were about thirty. Riley could probably use them for target practice with her bow.

To the east, he could just see the smoke rising from the burned out remains of the house that Burt lit on fire the previous night. Whether the fire got the people who shot Carley was unknown.

Dr. Cottle reported that Carley would recover from her wound and so would Lee and Burt. For that, Michael was thankful. After Chad and his stunt yesterday, there were only twenty-five of them left and they couldn't afford to lose anyone else.

At first light, Angel and Saul approached him about doing some recon in the humvee. Whoever set those walkers after them and the people who ambushed them at that burnt down house still might be around. Michael agreed it was worth the effort to find them and gave his permission.

Two hours later, Michael was relieved when he spotted the humvee finally returning. He went to the garage area just as the vehicle drove through the gate and Angel and Saul hopped out to meet him. From the looks on their faces, Michael realized they had some bad news.

"We found Chad and his group just a few miles south down the road, all shot," Saul reported grimly. "It looked like they drove into an ambush. It was nothing but a slaughter. Everything they had was taken, including one of the vehicles. They drained the gas tank and removed the battery from the other vehicle."

Angel couldn't shake the bloody imagines from his mind. "That could have been all of us if we had decided to abandon this place."

Michael rubbed his tired eyes. It was bad enough for Chad to run off with some of their food and weapons but for all of it to fall into the hands of bandits now. "Do you have any clues on their numbers and weapons?"

Saul and Angel now smiled.

"We went and looked at the house that Burt torched," the black soldier said. "There's a trail in the woods behind it and so we checked it out and followed an abandoned truck just sitting there."

"Any clues where they came from?" Michael asked with keen interest.

"The ground was still soft from the melting snow and rain and the truck left noticeable deep tire tracks in the ground," Angel said. "We followed it and it led us to a house ten miles to the southeast from here. We were careful not to get too close but we did see the Ford Escape that Chad drove off in, filled with bullet holes along with three other vehicles parked behind it."

"You found them?" Michael asked unable to believe their lucky break.

Saul gave a satisfied smile. "We got them boss."

Angel looked determined. "I say we gear up and go after them with everything we have. If they have any more explosives, they'll just try to bring another pack of walkers on us."

Michael agreed. "We're not going to give them that chance. You two break out the grenades and mount the 50 cal on the humvee. We're going to war."

* * *

Unbelievable!

He was supposed to be retired and ready to enjoy his golden years after years of commitment and hard work in the medical profession. It's amazing how the apocalypse can change things.

The dead returning back to life! It was still hard to believe months later but he witnessed people reanimate right before his very eyes, some of them without any bites. That told him everyone had to be infected and it had to be an airborne disease that was doing this but how does the brain restart after the person has died? Also why the need for the dead to attack the living?

There were so many unanswered questions and the answers themselves could be even more terrifying than the walkers. How did all of this started? More importantly, how to stop it?

He was a doctor and not really a God fearing man but he couldn't rule anything out. Not even some higher power above. Shaking his head, he put those thoughts aside for now and got back to work.

Dr. Cottle was in his infirmary, trying to put everything back in order after having everything moved upstairs because of the threat of the walkers the night before. At the same time he tended to his three patients. Only two needed rest but the last one required two hours of surgery and additional blood transfusions to fix her.

It was then he heard a faint whisper behind him. "Doctor…"

He turned and saw Carley was awake. In the two beds next to her were Burt and Lee who were still fast asleep. He moved to her saying softly.

"You're okay. The operation was a success. How do you feel?"

Carley looked at him and groaned. "I feel like a wreck. Are we safe?"

"The walkers are gone. You have nothing to worry about. Just go back to sleep."

Carley looked over and spotted Lee and Burt. "Are they okay?" she asked worriedly.

"They're just recovering from the amount of blood they gave to you." Dr. Cottle told her. "They kept you alive and they'll be on their feet in no time. What do you remember from last night?"

"I remember being shot, the pain and fading away," Carley recalled with a chill. "And having a nightmare…"

Just then Michael entered the infirmary dressed in full battle gear. "Doc, I need a word with you."

It was then he noticed Carley was awake. The army sergeant gave her a polite nod.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Like crap," the former reporter replied in playful sarcasm. "And you?"

"About the same and all thanks to the lack of sleep."

Carley chuckled but she eyed him with concern. Michael didn't put on his ballistic vest and helmet unless he was expecting trouble from the human variety, because walkers don't use guns.

Dr. Cottle was concerned too. "What's going on Michael?"

"We just located the bandits who have been giving us trouble and we have to act fast before they try something else," Michael told him. "I want you to take charge of the Nest until we return or when Burt recovers."

"You can't be serious."

"I'll only be gone for a short while and we're leaving most of our fighters behind to guard the Nest. If you need help, just approach Datu, Pegs or Lizzy."

"Why me?"

"Because everyone here respects you, regardless of your grumpy bedside manner sometimes."

Dr. Cottle gave Michael a disapproving frown when Burt suddenly stirred.

"What is going on?" then the ex-marine spotted Michael in full battle dress. "You've got your warpaint on. What's the occasion?"

"We found the bandits and we're going after them." Michael explained.

"Who's coming with you?" Burt asked lifting his head off the pillow.

"Just me, Angel, Saul and Riley. Everyone else is staying to guard the Nest."

"Then I'm coming with you." Burt said, slowly rising out of the bed.

"Now wait one moment!" Dr. Cottle said to Burt.

Carley looked at Burt with concern. "Maybe you should rest more."

"I just gave some blood, I'm fine!" the older man insisted loudly, removing the leather strap from his leg, freeing him from the bed.

"No, you're not…" Dr. Cottle started to say.

"Let him come if he wants to," Michael said. "We have room for one more and even in his weakened state, he's still worth the strength of two extra guns."

"Never thought you would admit to that." Burt said in surprise.

"Yeah," Michael said. "Still, I would rather have Carley but you will do."

"You do have a sense of humor," Carley gave a small laugh. "Thanks for the compliment but I'll stay right here and heal. Bullet wound, remember?"

All the activity now caused Lee to stir, his eyes slowly blink opened. "Wh… What?"

"Hey, Lee," Carley waved to him. "Good morning."

"Carley!" Lee was now fully awake and he tried to sit up, glad to see her okay.

"Will you all just stay in bed for your own good!" Dr. Cottle grumbled.

"Gunshot remember?" Carley said innocently. "Not moving."

"What's going on?" Lee asked.

"Michael found the bandits and he's going after them and I'm helping and you two stay put," Burt said firmly as he slowly stood up from bed. "What's the plan of attack?"

"Even with you we still only have five people to do this," Michael said. "But we have firepower on our side and I say we use it. I'm not going to put anyone on our side at risk with half measures. We hit them and we hit them hard."

Lee frowned for a moment. "You're going to wipe them out?"

Michael looked at him. "You disapprove?"

Lee paused and shook his head. "Your call but just be careful. Nothing usually goes as planned."

* * *

It took twenty minutes for them to reach the house, driving cross country in the humvee. They were shielded from view by trees and heavy brush as Michael viewed the house with his binoculars. He could see the bandits parked their vehicles behind the house, keeping them from view from the road in front of the house. Vehicles disappearing and reappearing would draw attention to anyone driving by.

The house itself was a simple two story wooden structure with all the windows boarded up. Because of this he couldn't see any activity from within the house. However with the number of vehicles outback, someone had to be home.

Still using his binoculars, he looked closely at the bullet ridden Ford Escape that Chad had droved away in. According to Saul and Angel, everyone in Chad's group was killed outright with no mercy shown and that's all he needed to know about the type of people they were dealing with.

Michael turned to Angel, Saul, Riley and Burt who gathered close to him.

"Here's what we're going to do," He said to them. "Me, Angel and Saul will approach from the rear while Riley and Burt will drive the humvee around back onto the main the road and attack the building from the front with the 50 cal. That will drive them to the rear of the building and hopefully to escape outback for their vehicles. Once that happens, the three of us will ambush them. Any questions?"

"What if they try to surrender?" Riley asked.

"No surrenders," Michael said abruptly. "They know where we live and they killed nine of us last night. No one comes out of that building alive. If anyone has a problem with that, speak up now."

No one said a word but Riley still looked uncomfortable. Burt saw this and simply told her. "Just drive the humvee and I'll handle the 50 cal. Alright?"

"Okay." the French woman nodded in relief.

Michael looked at Riley and Burt. "Give us five minutes to get into position, then hit that house with everything you have. Drive them to us."

"Don't worry about that." Burt replied as he and Riley walked back to the humvee.

Minutes later, after crawling across the ground on their bellies Michael, Angel and Saul were fanned out and positioned behind the bandit's home at the range of three hundred feet. The main thing that Michael was concerned about was walkers coming along to mess things up but thankfully none were nearby beyond seeing a few slow moving dots in the distance.

Michael was position in the center with his M4 rifle sighted on the rear doorway to the bandit's home. To his right, Saul had his SAW ready and to Michael's left, Angel was prepared with his own M4. The few cars parked close to the house could be a problem giving the bandits cover but Michael's team still had surprise and grenades to blast them out if needed.

The backyard of the house had a few trees and the ground had a slight incline, giving the three soldiers some additional cover.

Michael checked his watch just as he heard the humvee approaching, right on time. The military vehicle peeled right up to the house and the thunderous hammering sound of the 50 cal erupted, ripping the building's wooden walls into shreds.

A few heartbeats later, the back door opened and Michael readied himself. A man raced out, shouting behind him. In his hand he had a shotgun and he was followed by several more people, some of them were women but all of them had pistols or rifles.

_A gun doesn't care about the gender of the person pulling the trigger. _ Michael thought to himself using Carley as the perfect example. If she should ever decide to go gunning after him one day for whatever reason, Michael wouldn't hesitate to shoot her first because she rarely misses her target.

Michael counted ten bandits and more were still coming out. His finger was tight on the trigger but he hesitated as he stared at the man holding the shotgun in his sights.

He thought about Chad and the others being gunned down on the road by these people but in his mind he replaced them with the bodies of Pegs and Clementine. He was doing this to protect them and everyone else at the Nest. Michael held his breath before stroking the trigger.

With a loud crack from the M4, the side of the man's head exploded like a melon. Immediately, Angel and Saul opened up and in seconds half the bandits fell in the hail of bullets.

The survivors ducked behind the cars, blindly returning fire. This wasn't a fight, it was a massacre as Michael and the others picked them off one at a time as the bandits tried to peek from behind their cover to shoot back.

The humvee finally wheeled around the building, flanking the remaining bandits as Burt brought the mighty 50 cal to bear. Nothing could withstand the penetrating power of a 50 caliber round, not even an engine block. The bandits couldn't hide from something like that.

There was one bandit left and he was screaming something at them but no one could make it out. He suddenly tried to run back to the house. Michael levelled his rifle at him as he reached the door and drove to the left. Saul, Angel and Burt were all targeting him too and they all fired on the wall of the house where the bandit ducked behind. They all peppered it with gunfire that looked like swiss cheese in seconds.

"CEASE FIRE!" Michael shouted. "CEASE FIRE!"

Everyone stopped shooting and all was perfectly still and silent. Michael advanced on the building with Angel and Saul close behind, their weapons ready and reloaded with fresh ammo clips. Burt remained behind at the 50 cal, covering them and watching the windows, while Riley was ready to move the humvee upon command.

Michael counted at least fourteen bodies outside. Knowing how fast someone could turn upon death, Michael personally double tapped the bodies with a single bullet to the head as his team covered him.

Now with the path to the building cleared of any possible undead attacks from the rear, Michael and his team finally reached the back door. Staying in cover, he used a hand mirror to peer inside and saw the room beyond was clear. He signalled to Saul and Angel that he was going in and to be prepared to follow him. Burt and Riley would stay with the humvee.

Inside, Michael swept the room but stopped when he looked to the left. When they blasted the wall with gunfire, they struck and killed the retreating bandit but they also got a few others in the barrage too.

Saul entered the building right behind Michael and he almost dropped his weapon at the sight before him.

"Oh no, no, no," the black soldier whispered.

Along the wall was the body of the bandit who threw himself over top a woman and below them was two small children. They both were trying to shield the children from their gunfire for all the good it did. Each of them was riddled with bullet wounds.

Was this a family?

Saul immediately went over to check them. All the while, he kept repeating. "No, no, no, no."

Angel entered the building and froze at the bloody sight.

The man and the woman were dead and Saul moved them quickly aside and checked the two kids, a boy and a girl about seven and eight. Being a field medical, Saul immediately saw he could do nothing for them.

"What the hell did we do?" Saul shouted to both of them. "They had kids with them!"

Angel looked increasingly pale. "We just didn't know. They were bandits."

"Bandits with families!" Saul yelled. "Good or bad they were survivors just like us! We just gunned down children!"

Michael kept his attention forward with both hands gripping his M4 tightly. He wanted to scream and yell over what just happened. The idea of the bandits having children with them didn't enter his mind once. Why? Was it exhaustion, fatigue or the tunnel vision of looking for some payback? It didn't matter because the damage had been done. Nothing could fix this.

Looking over his shoulder, the two children were younger than Clementine… No, he can't afford to think that now. Slowly, he buried all his emotions and feelings the way he learned to do so easily, as he retreated inside his mental shell.

"What's done is done," Michael said to them calmly. "There is nothing we can do now."

"How can you say that?!" Saul demanded. "We're not machines!"

Michael marched right over to Saul fixing him with a steady glare but not once did Michael raised his voice to him. His tone was firm, even and controlled.

"We don't have time to stand here and argue because the bodies here could be turning any minute. Not to mention our gun battle has the attention of every walker within earshot. We messed up but we have to get out of here ASAP. Get back our stolen supplies for our people who are counting on us including your girlfriend."

Saul just stared back but Michael's words had the desired effect to get him moving again. "Yes… sir."

Michael nodded. "You and Angel sweep the rest of this house, I'll clean up here."

The army sergeant stepped towards the bodies readying his rifle to double tap the four bodies inside the house but Saul stopped him.

"I'll do it, sir."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. You and Angel sweep the rest of the building and gather up our supplies," There was a long pause before Saul asked. "What are we going to say when we get back or are we going to bury all of this?"

Michael remembered his tours on the other side of the world and of all the lies and cover ups of missions gone badly. Those in command tried to cover them up which made the situation worse when the truth finally leaked out. Lies can do more harm than good. The truth is better even if it hurts.

"No secrets," Michael looked at the bodies of the family just a few feet from him. "For better or worse, we'll tell the truth as to what happened. We own them that much."

* * *

The rest of the building was cleared and they found no one else inside. They located their stolen supplies in a small cellar along with the rest of the bandit's stash. They gathered everything up quickly, including the bandit's weapons, ammo and Burt's stolen guns.

Loading up the humvee, Burt asked what Saul was yelling about inside the house. Michael told him about the two children and the ex-marine looked shocked before letting out a small curse. He didn't say another word after that. So did Riley. The French woman looked sick after hearing what had happened. She didn't want to know anything more about it. It was a very quiet drive back home.

Back at the Nest, Michael felt he was done for the day and didn't want to deal with another problem. He couldn't face Pegs, even when she learned what happened with the bandits from Riley. When she approached him, Michael simply told her that he just wanted to be left alone. Pegs knew him well enough to respect it and just give him some space.

That was ten hours ago. Michael found himself back staring over the wall again. Leaning against it, he watched as the sun slowly settled on the horizon. There were several walkers still sauntering in the distance but they were no threat. Having a few around actually helped add to their security. Who's going to try and sneak into the Nest at night with walkers lurking out there in the dark with them?

"There you are."

Michael turned and saw Lee slowly approaching.

"Mind if I join you?"

The sergeant just stared at him. "Did Pegs send you?"

Lee shrugged his shoulders. "Does it matter?"

"No," Michael said before turning away to look over the wall again. "Fair warning though, I'm not up to holding a conversation right now."

Lee stepped up on the platform next to him. "That's alright, I'm a teacher. I'm used to doing all the talking."

The two men leaned against the wall and watched the sun slowly start to disappear on the horizon.

"How's Carley?" Michael finally asked breaking the awkward silence between them.

"Better," Lee said in relief. "Clementine is with her and the Doc said she'll be up and about by tomorrow."

"Good," Michael said and after a long pause he added sombrely. "It has been a shitty twenty-four hours."

"Yeah but there will be more of them."

"Got that right."

"Still, it could have ended worse. A lot worse."

"I have been telling myself that too," Michael replied before looking at Lee with a sideways glance. "You want to say something then get it off your chest."

"Right to the point."

"Like I said, I'm not in a mood for a conversation."

"Fair enough and I'll get to it then. People here are worried about you and the others," Lee started to say. "Most of them understand what happened but they are afraid. They look to you, Saul, Angel and Burt for leadership and protection."

"If they think we're going to just hop in the humvee and drive off, that won't happen."

"They would like to hear that from you because I sure don't want your job." Lee said in a half serious tone.

Michael actually smiled. "We'll have a meeting tomorrow and air everything out. We don't need concerns like this festering. Anything else?"

"Yeah, about eight months ago our old group from the motel found a station wagon seemingly abandoned along this dirt road with the back loaded with food," Lee said slowly. "The gas tank was dry, the keys in the ignition and the doors left wide open. By then we were all starving and I made a choice."

"You took the food." Michael said evenly. This was one of the thousands of concerns he faced, worried about and ultimately tried to prepare for. How far he would go to keep everyone and the people he cared for here safe.

"Yes," Lee answered. "Only later did I learn that I helped to destroy a family who owned the vehicle." Lee finished sadly.

"Sorry to hear that. That's a situation I would hate to be in."

"Thanks."

"But if you are trying to tell me that in this new world the only choices we have are between bad and worse, I already figured that."

"You made a mistake and fucked up," Lee responded. "Just like I did. You didn't go out there aiming to kill those kids and I was hoping that vehicle was truly abandoned but it wasn't."

"Wrong," Michael shook his head as he stood up away from the wall. "I should have considered things more carefully before attacking that building."

"We're still human," Lee said. "If we were all perfect, I wouldn't have been on my way to prison."

**Whew! I had every intention of this being only a short story, just a couple chapters but here we are 16 chapters later. Anyway, the end is near… One last chapter and epilogue. :-)**


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